The week after Easter was shortened by the holiday to just three days with only the Wednesday available for usual office work, due to the three day workshop that was booked to run from Thursday to Saturday.
The Wednesday brought to the office a young head teacher, Alieu Boye who I had got to know when I was based in Mansa Konko. He is impressively dedicated to the pupils at his school, Medina Sancha Lower Basic which lies far south of The River Gambia, almost at the Senegalese border. I enjoy his good humoured enthusiastic professionalism and so it was a pleasure to see him again. We talked about his school which has grown to 130 pupils. The children come from extremely poor families in the district and their diet causes him concern. He is hopeful that soon paperwork will be processed by the authorities to include his school in the World Feeding Programme. A hot rice meal every day will make a huge difference to his pupils’ health and concentration abilities.
It can also be expected to drive up enrolment and attendance statistics. Alieu would also like to initiate a school garden, as fresh produce would improve the diet even further.
Education here is notionally free but there is a small charge for incidentals. In this case it is 15 Dalasis per year, per child. This brings in an annual school income of just under 2000 Dalasis, about £45 in total. This meagre sum is to cover all other costs apart from salaries which are paid by central government. The salaries are not high; this is not surprising of course but what is, is just how much of his own small income Alieu uses for the good of the children. In addition he gives freely of additional effort and time to improve the facilities. For example he transported, by donkey and wheelbarrow, essential second hand items obtained from other schools. This is how, he said with a triumphant grin, he managed to obtain his blackboards and some reading books.
Alieu came to the office with a specific request but I’ll tell you more of that later.
First I want to tell you about the 3 day workshop. It was so collaborative and such fun that although we achieved a lot it did not feel like work at all. Headed by Action Aid, our group comprised numerous other organisations centred on a promotional campaign for three of the ten “Rights in Schools”.
These are:
Non-discrimination, i.e. access for the poor, those with Special Needs and both genders.
A safe and non-violent environment i.e. journeys and a school day free from bullying, harassment (of all types) and corporal punishment.
The right to participate i.e. opportunities to contribute ideas and to the decision making process as a whole
Throughout the three days our group of 10 worked; reviewing documentation, drafting action plans and agreements and devising questionnaires. We are now ready to roll out a programme aimed at raising awareness about Children’s Rights with everyone associated with schools, not least the students themselves.
All 10 Rights are unquestionably an entitlement that every child world wide should expect. It will be a wonderful day when they can
Now what of Alieu Boye’s request?
It is for water. His school has no supply.
The village well lies a considerable distance away, outside the school gates and is too dangerous because it is completely open. Providing school drinking and washing water is almost impossible, and his dreams of a garden are completely out of the question.
Costs for a bore hole or well inside the school grounds are prohibitively high (about £11,000 without guarantees) so this has to be ruled out unless sponsored by a knowledgeable corporation. He is unable to find one that is interested.
The only feasible solution is for the authorities to agree an extension to a new piped supply going into the village, providing a stand pipe and tap. If permission is granted to extend pipe work the 200 metres to the school, the costs involved will not be.
Alieu is seeking additional funding for the work as well as the installation of a large overhead tank within the school site.
Over the last few months friends back home have sometimes emailed me to express interest in helping or sponsoring education here in some way. This one off project would be a worthy cause and Alieu Boye is sufficiently robust, honest and dedicated to see it through.
Let me know if you are interested and I’ll find out what has to be done.
After all water is such a basic right, it isn’t even on Action Aid’s list!
