Sponsor a child's education

Thank you for your interest in supporting GamBLE. We attach a sponsorship form and set out below some information about GamBLE and how your sponsorship will be put to good use.

The Gambia is a small country situated in West Africa with a population of just over 1 million people. It is one of the poorest counties in the world and relies heavily on its tourist trade for income as its other main source is peanuts. The Gambian illiteracy rate currently is 61% and consequently Gambians aspire to education. They are extremely friendly and keen to help themselves and their children. Farato is a small village in the Western Province about a ½ hour drive away from the capital Banjul.

GamBLE (Gambia Building Links in Education) started life in 1996 when Karen and Tony Di Marco visited in Farato village where the school building of two classrooms had stopped just above foundation level, due to lack of funds. They were inspired to raise some money to finish the building. Since then the project has developed and expanded so that there are now 4 nursery classes taught by 4 trained teachers with a head teacher. A wall has been built around the school compound for security and a well has been added to give a permanent source of water. There is no electricity yet. A vegetable garden has been started and play equipment built. Class sizes in the Gambia vary between 50 and 70 pupils but GamBLE’s aim is to keep the class size within 35-40. Each family pay 30 dalasis (50p) per term towards the cost of their child’s education which is within most family budgets, however it is obviously not the true cost. GamBLE has decided to extend the school into primary grades thus new buildings will be required. In order to ensure a high standard of teaching within Farato & The Gambia generally, Karen Di Marco (one of the Founders) is working with the Gambian Teacher Training college to help provide teacher training to a wider number of student teachers, with Yalding School Farato as a beacon of achievement and good practice.

GamBLE’s mission statement is: "To create links with The Gambia that will enable the Gambians to improve the quality of their children’s education."

The objectives of GamBLE manifest themselves in the following ways:-

• To develop the school at Farato for both nursery (ages 4-7) and lower basic (ages 8-13) (primary) education  
• To raise the standard of education at Farato school so it can be used as a beacon school to set the standards for the rest of The Gambia and be used to teach Gambian teachers.
• To keep class sizes down to below 40 pupils
• To recognise the school as an integral part of the community
• To link the school with the training college so that it can be used for teacher training
• To encourage active involvement and support of the parents and the community ( Links have been made with the Health Centre)

to build 6 classrooms, an office and store room for the Lower Basic School

to pay for teachers’ salaries & training

to provide teaching resources including a library

to continue to improve the standards of teaching

to ensure that the fees are set at an affordable level

a solar pump for the well

more toilets and hand basins

• sponsoring a child’s education, costs £7.50 per month
• supporting all or part of a teacher’s salary which is between £25 and £40 per month
• support the building project with regular donations

• A monthly donation
• An annual donation
• Hold a fund raising event

Q. How will I be kept in touch?

A. Each year you will receive news letters detailing the progress of the project and if you sponsor a child’s education, an annual update.

Q. Can I choose a particular child? 

A. The experienced GamBLE team would prefer you simply to sponsor a child’s education so that individual children do not feel singled out from their friends and family. If you would like to feel your sponsorship relates to an individual child, of course the name and picture of a child can be provided.

Q. Can I communicate directly with my child or send gifts?

A. Sponsors are asked not to communicate directly with the child because Farato is a very close knit community and inequalities between children would be created which might be divisive and create problems. There is a strong preference for maintaining the anonymity of the sponsor. In reverse, if a family knows details of their sponsor there is a risk of receiving unsolicited requests for further help which could put you in a very invidious position.

Q. How long does my sponsorship last?

A. Ideally, it is a long term commitment, preferably until the sponsored child is thirteen years old. This can make a huge difference. You are, of course, free to vary your support at any time

If you would like to become a sponsor please complete the sponsorship form and send it to us.

If you would be prepared to receive your news letters by email, just send us an email to say so.

Email gambleproject@aol.com

Please notify the charity if you change your name or address.