At Intouch Global Foundation we make every effort to be engaged with our partnered charities, and can keep up to date with the activities and progress of what, and who our foundation supports. We are very fortunate that this includes travelling to international destinations.
Below you can read a diary entry written by Rosie, from the recent IGF trip to The Gambia:
In February this year I had the privilege of travelling with Kevin Bailey to The Gambia as part of my role as coordinator of Intouch Global Foundation. We support three charities working in The Gambia: Friends Jan Jan Bureh Nursery, The Gambia Deaf Children’s Support Project, and Switched On-Gambia. Although Kevin, the Foundation Director, was visiting for the 29th time, with many stories to tell, it was my first time in The Gambia, and it was a truly wonderful experience.
There are many fascinating sites to see in this small, peculiarly shaped country. Shopkeepers paint their walls with pictures of what they are selling, women wear wonderfully vibrant tailored outfits, electric blue birds fly low to the ground, and food is cooked on an open fire whilst sat on stools.
Over the course of the 10 days we visited many schools associated with Switched On-Gambia charity, which supplies school children from rural communities with affordable, sustainable lighting. With no electricity at home, children can use the lamps to take time over their homework in the evening once the sun has set, instead of rushing to get it done before school.
Switched On-Gambia is now partnered with Book Aid International, and we were asked by Book Aid to produce a case study of how their books are being utilised with the lamps. To do this we visited Faraba Lower Basic school and talked to several keen students about their interest in books, and how the lamps aid their reading. We then were able to travel home with the children, and watch how they share the lamps in group reading sessions with friends. It was eye opening to wander around such a lively community of thatched mud huts, cloaked in darkness.
Our trip coincided with the 10th anniversary celebrations of Jan Jan Bureh Nursery, organised by trustees of the charity supporting the nursery. The event was an energetic mix of songs, captivating dancing, gift giving, and continual drumming. Of course Kevin and I were both ushered to dance, with moves not even comparable to those of the expressive and vigorous locals.
We were successful in reaching our aim for the trip, which was to learn how the charities are operating, and define ways in which we can help in the future. An equally fulfilling accomplishment for me however, was getting to know such admirable people surrounding those charities. Staying with Tida, the headteacher of the Nursery, and her daughter Jabou was an insight into life in the Gambia, and I left knowing I would be coming back as soon as I could!
