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Danish Friends Donate to Schools and Health Centre

Feb 12, 2009, 6:25 AM | Article By: Abdou Rahman Sallah

Helsingor Middle School in Denmark, in collaboration with Gambia Danish Friend Society in Denmark, over the weekend donated learning and teaching materials, office equipment, sports materials and home science utensils to Kuntaur Upper Basic School, Kuntaur Health Centre, Bansang SEN School and the community of Kuntaur Fula Kunda. The donated items also included garden tools, second hand clothes, medical equipment, sewing machines, uniforms, wheel chairs, gloves and bed sheets.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Pierre Nygaard, the head of the delegation, expressed happiness at the warm welcome and hospitality they were accorded. According to him, this is their 13th visit to the school since the establishment of the link in 1997. He noted that the purpose of the visit was to strengthen the already existing relationship between the two schools (HelsingorMiddle School and KuntaurUpperBasicSchool) and to share experiences.

Mr. Nygaard further revealed that the donated items, such as garden tools, sewing machines and second hand cloths were donated by Gambia Danish Friend Society. He then urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the donated materials.

In receiving the materials on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Abubakharr Cole Fatty, the principal of KuntaurUpperBasicSchool, commended their Danish friends for what he described as a laudable gesture.

Mr. Fatty then assured the donors that the donated items would be used for their rightful purposes.

Highlighting some of the achievements since the establishment of the link between the two schools in 1997, Mr Cole Fatty maintained that his school has gained a lot, thus registering significant improvements both in the area of learning and teaching. He added that the donated materials would go a long way in addressing some of the needs of the school.

For his part, Mr Kaniman Camara, the link co-ordinator, stated that the aim of the link is to foster mutual understanding between the two schools allow them to interact with each other in order to share experiences and cultures from each other.

According to him, for the past few years the link had sponsored a total of 113 students, noting that this year alone they are sponsoring 11 students.

On behalf of the chairman of Parent Teacher Association, Mr Belly Jallow, their Danish friends for what he termed a benevolent gesture.  

The presentation was held at the school grounds and was attended by many dignitaries and was punctuated by traditional performances.