MBG prides itself on introducing specialist individuals and agencies to The Gambia and Gunjur. Ric Law, Director of Disability Africa, was introduced to Gunjur by MBG in 2012 and they are now doing remarkable work with disabled young people in that community.
Read Ric's interview with Gambian newspaper The Standard.
Had a lovely relaxing day at the beach last Sunday before starting at the school. There is a lodge we like which serves a delicious buffet on Sundays, like an English barbecue! The last week has been fun but quite tough. Have spent the mornings shadowing teachers at school and learning how things work, so we are past the exciting 'holiday' way we spent the first week!
The school works very differently from ours.. The headmaster is incredibly strict. In assembly on Monday morning there was led Islamic prayer and then led Christian prayer. After that the children sung the national anthem, received a lecture on cleanliness and all the girls got kept behind to have their uniforms checked for being too tight ( the one thing which is similar to England)! Sophie, Duncan and I had to stand up and introduce ourselves to the school. This caused laughter and chatting, hopefully in a curious rather than malicious way.
Three St John's school leavers are currently on a 3 month volunteer placement in Gunjur working as teaching assistants in the local Lower and Upper Basic schools. Duncan is writing a brilliant blog recording his experience which you can follow at There and Back 2015. And Phoebe is also writing an equally great blog right here on the MBG website.
Find out more on volunteering in The Gambia Work Placements in Gunjur.