Student Summer Programme
MBG trips are now delivered by Venture Force. You can visit their website here.
What is the Student Summer Programme?
Every other summer we send a group of Marlborough sixth form students to Gunjur, The Gambia, to spend time working on a community project with the people from the village.
Volunteers live in the village community centre right at the heart of the village, utterly immersed in the life of the village. Our volunteers find that their experience in Gunjur is one that stays with them for the rest of their lives and most have kept up their links with the village and many have returned.
Where is Gunjur and what is it like?
Gunjur is a large sprawling town in The Gambia, West Africa, with around 25,000 inhabitants, situated 2km from the coast and 25km from Serrekunda, one of the largest towns in the region.
95% of the population of The Gambia is Muslim and Gunjur is an important Islamic centre. The fishing industry at the beach, local vegetable gardens and rice, groundnut, cassava and maize fields provide the principal employment for people living in Gunjur. There are shops and two minimarkets where most basic commodities are available. Electricity and piped water arrived around 10 years ago.
What do volunteers do in Gunjur?
Volunteers will engage in a community project, this is decided by the community of Gunjur and organised in conjunction with the Gunjur Community Link. Previous summer groups have helped build primary school classrooms, fence large areas for gardening and re-furbish public buildings. The 2010 group helped to renovate the 5 classroom block (Marlborough Block) at the Lower Basic School, where over 200 children have their lessons and the 2012 summer group constructed a new building for the women's undercover market.
The 2014 group helped to complete the fencing around the Fayunku Garden. This was received with great delight from the women gardeners, as it stops the cattle, sheep and goats from destroying their crops. You may also get involved in activities such as making a radio programme on the local radio station, or teaching English to local school children. The 2016 group built a new pre-school building at one edge of the village for the children who could not walk to the existing school. The 2018 group worked on a mango and micro-finance garden for the women of the village to grow and sell crops.
It’s not all work and no play!
There is project work most days, but lots of time free to experience the village, people and local area. Most groups will attend big public events like weddings or naming ceremonies. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to:
Travel ‘up country’ to another part of The Gambia.
Visit local travel lodges which have small restaurants and swimming pools.
Eat at the restaurants in the village… including a ‘Nando’s’.
Take trips up the river at dawn, to a sacred crocodile pool and to the amazing deserted Gunjur Beach with miles of sand and palm trees.
What are the benefits of volunteering in Gunjur with MBG?
It is a life changing experience which develops valuable life skills.
It gives an advantage with university applications; it is seriously impressive on a CV, UCAS form and in an interview.
It allows volunteers to develop soft skills in communication, leadership & organisation.
It allows volunteers to experience life outside of their comfort zone.
It allows volunteers to meet new people and make new friends.
It builds confidence and resilience.
It allows volunteers to something amazing for another community.
It allows volunteers to experience genuine Africa in a safe way with a group.
It creates an incredible answer to the age old interview question ‘so what’s the most impressive thing you have ever done?’.
Who runs the trip?
MBG has a small professional expedition partner called Venture Force who are experts in student charity trips to Africa. MBG provides the charity project and the 37 year connection with the people of the village. Venture Force are responsible for the trip and provide all the health and safety, British Standard 8848 and AALA License, insurance and professionally trained trip leaders.
The British embassy knows about our work and Venture Force has 24 hour emergency contacts and medical support. Venture Force only offer this trip to Marlborough schools, but you can find out more about the company here.
What is it like to live in Gunjur?
Volunteers live together in a community compound right in the middle of the village. A compound is a walled area with a selection of buildings built from concrete blocks with corrugate iron roofs. The leaders will be in a separate building in the compound and there is a water tap, electricity, long drop toilets, basic wash facilities and a cooking area. Local women will provide three meals a day, but you will be helping them cook and clean every day. You’ll also need to wash your clothes. It is basic, but there are few luxuries! You will be in Gunjur in the mango season and the food is fresh and excellent. There is electricity, so you will have light, be able to charge up cameras and can buy a local sim-card there so you can contact home. Many local people now own smart phones.
What support do volunteers receive?
The group will meet to discuss the trip, to plan the project and the fund-raising needed. Groups usually go on a residential trip to Wales over a weekend near Easter to discuss the cultural differences, hygiene and safety, kit list and most importantly get to know each other and work together as a team. There will also be a basic Mandinka lesson, the most common local language, although English is the official language and most people speak it fluently.
Venture Force send two professional leaders with the group and there is usually a third voluntary leader. In country the group is supported by The Gunjur Community Link of local volunteers who help to organise the on the ground logistics, cooks and project. The group are also accompanied by local young people who are paid and experienced chaperones who accompany the group.
How much does it cost?
We are a charity and take no income from these projects so look to run then as cheaply as possible with our partners Venture Force. The total cost of the trip is about £3,000 per person for the three weeks which includes flights. This also covers your induction, insurance, living expenses, transport and a contribution to the project, which the group will aim to raise £2,500 for together. MBG also puts money into the project to make it a substantial undertaking. We can give advice on fundraising and obtaining sponsorship from a number of different sources.
How to apply
Applications for 2023 are now closed. Please contact info@mbg.org for information on future trips.
Future Opportunities
Students often return to Gunjur for longer placements or to lead one of the summer groups. Some go on to take up careers in International Development. Some even decide to make Gunjur a permanent home!
In the last few years a number of students that originally came out to Gunjur as pupils from St John's Academy have gone on to use Gunjur as the research focus for their Masters and PhD theses. Their research results have been highly informative to Gunjur as a community and to International Development.
Student Summer Programme Volunteer Videos