Foundation Stone Laid at BEP

Badala Educational Project (BEP), a community based nursery school in Faji-Kunda, has been the venue of yet another philanthropist gesture from Ben and Ans Schepers.

At a colorful ceremony in the school grounds on Sunday November 16th, the couple from the Netherlands laid the foundation stone of a four-classroom block, an office and a store. The couple disclosed that the project had been established because the school has been housed under a corrugated classroom since its inception in 1992.

Complementing government's efforts in attaining United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Schepers promised to venture more into the school's sustainable development efforts.

The couple further revealed that a year ago when the school's 200-student population were faced with water scarcity problems, they provided them with safe and clean drinking water by putting up pipe-borne water through NAWEC.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the school head teacher, Tijan Ceesay, thanked the philanthropists for their intervention in protecting his pupils from the deadly heat of the sun when they were in the corrugated-built classrooms. He described the couple as true friends of The Gambia because they are making education accessible and affordable by providing the necessary environment.

In addition to their benevolent gesture, head teacher Ceesay pointed out that the couple is currently sponsoring over 50 pupils with the aim of pursuing quality education for them. He said some of the benefiting students are going to other schools and their respective families are also benefiting their gains.

In his words, the chairman of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Ebrima MM Ceesay, noted that the school would have closed by now if not the timely intervention of the couple.

Lamin Marong, the school social worker and a long time friend of the Schepers family who introduced them to the school, said he is very proud to be associated with such a laudable development process spearheaded by the Dutch tourists. He therefore called on others to emulate the exemplary work of Ben and Ans.