FajiKunda

We are a group of families and friends from the UK who initially visited the Gambia on holiday and met, first hand, the hardship endured by people in a third world country. Over a number of visits, we have come to believe that one of the best ways to help alleviate poverty in the area is to provide support for education. Initially we started to pro... vide ad-hoc support for the "Roots Daycare Centre" - a nursery school in the FajiKunda area. In 2001 we registered 'Friends of FajiKunda' as a charity, putting our efforts on a recognised basis. We are a completely independent group and have no connection with any other organisation, either religious or political and have no affiliation with any other charities. We do not have any management or administration overheads, all our fundraising work and administration is voluntary. The Gambia is a small, independent, West African state with a population of 1.5 million. A centre for the slave trade in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Gambia was colonised by the British in 1889 and gained independence in 1965. Whilst the Gambia is not, in terms of poverty and famine, one of the headline-hitting African states - it is very much a third world economy with an average household income of under £400 per annum. Secondary education in the Gambia is free to children over 8 years, but secondary schools typically do not accept children without a primary school education; which has to be paid for. Many families cannot afford this, so inevitably there are many who end up with no education and hence limited opportunity to work forward out of poverty. Roots Daycare Centre is a nursery school for 3-7 year olds and has a roll of 140 children. It has 4 volunteer teachers, but no electricity, water, or sanitation. Parents who are able to, contribute up to £1.50 per term, our charity's involvement has meant the school is accessible to children whose parents can't afford this. To date, we have given support, both material and financial, in the day to day running of the school. On our trips to ...Read More