Mrs Rigg Visits the Gambia!

Mrs Rigg visits The Gambia!

I first visited The Gambian schools for the Deaf in 2010. I had taken items such as books, pens, pencils, hearing aids and clothes to donate. I was welcomed with enthusiasm by Lamin, the project leader for the Gambian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, who introduced me to two school settings; an infant and secondary. I was not expecting to see such exceedingly limited resources and vowed to do something to assist. The Gambian schools were interested in creating a link with Townfield and so the idea was borne.

Back in the UK it was agreed that our school became a partnership school of its Gambian Counterpart. There was some pupil correspondence, limited because of poor resources in The Gambia. Here, at school, we began to raise monies at summer and Christmas fairs, raffles, sponsored walk, walk a mile with water and the sponsored skip. Altogether we have raise, to date, over £5000. This is a significant amount for the Gambian Schools.

During Easter of 2014 I revisited the Gambia with my family and was able to spend more time in the schools. Lamin was delighted to see us and arranged for me to visit three different settings; nursery, primary and secondary. We arrived in style crowed together in an open top jeep!

I was unprepared for the welcome we received. We first went to a small satellite primary school. The children were lined up forming a welcoming walkway, holding homemade posters with the UK flag and Townfield Primary school painted on it, (I nearly cried). We were the introduced to the Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher, the Head of Disability Services for Gambia, other educational professionals, two parents and the Gambia media, whom all gave us a welcoming speech thanking Townfield Primary school for their support and literally “begging” us to continue. The need to do so was blatantly obvious. The small school consisted of two rooms, they had desks but little else. We saw no books or stationary, a far world from the provision children have here. There were three teachers two of whom were unpaid because there was no money to fund their teacher training and the only was teachers could be paid was if they were qualified. Hence they were volunteers. The children, however, were full of smiles and as good as gold.

On the second day time was spent at the senior school, St John’s School for the Deaf. Here again we were warmly welcomed and thanked for our support. Again we were struck by the continuingly poor condition and lack of equipment. If anything it seemed to be poorer than when I last visited. The Head and Deputy Head teacher at St John’s explained the difficulties they had including trying to transport the children from their villages to the school. The buses had been broken for months with no funds to repair. Transportation is a difficulty for all the settings and some Deaf children, in distant villages, never really get any education at all. In the villages you can imagine they suffer extreme isolation. Another factor stopping children attending school was the lack the schools only have resources to buy rice for meals resulting in a very limited diet. The Head teacher would like to be able to grow a greater variety of food.

Whilst at the three settings I was escorted around by several of the deaf children, whom all communicated used Gambian Sign Language (something all Townfield children have learnt during the last three International weeks). They we interested to find out where I was from, what my school was like and what the English children learnt in school and do as hobbies. They were so proud to show me their classrooms and some of their work. Their art work was fantastic, one piece was given to us and is now on display in our school. None of the children had hearing aids and cochlear implants are none existent. There was a small audiology building but it had the most basic of equipment.

The following day we visited the third school, an infant provision, unfortunately all of the children had finished early for Easter. However, I was not without a warm welcome by the teachers as well as by other staff from the Gambian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Again I was struck by the poor conditions and lack of resources but humbled by the dedication and enthusiasm of the staff (some of whom again receive no wages).

If I had a magic and I would zap over to these schools all our unwanted books, pens, pencils, clothes as well as the discarded hearing aids, hearing aid batteries and testing equipment. Unfortunately I do not have a magic wand but I am determined to continue to develop and strengthen the link between the Gambian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and St John’s School for the Deaf and Townfield Primary School. I will continue to arrange fundraising events to raise money and resources to give these extremely underprivileged deaf children a better education.It is our intention that the link will continue to grow from strength to strength thus benefiting the Deaf children in the Gambia as well as the pupils of TPS by making them Global citizens.

If you have any questions or would like to donate then please do not hesitate to contact myself (Mrs Rigg) through the school office.

On behalf of the Gambian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and St John’s School for the Deaf I thank you for your continued support.