As
Ambassador of Sightbox Trust my dream was to go back to The Gambia and spend
time with visually impaired children and young adults developing their
communication skills, confidence and independence.
So
having given up a full time job, much planning and a programme put
together, packed 120kg of equipment
which included our clothing, held a bon voyage party to say farewell to family
and friends, Nigel, my husband and I took off on November 9th 2019 from
Manchester Airport to Banjul, The Gambia
for 5 months.
On
arrival at Banjul airport we were unexpectedly met at the bottom of the steps
of the plane by VIP security.Bags collected and passports stamped we were
driven to where we would be staying for the 5 months. Our accommodation was a 2
bed bungalow semi furnished in a secure compound with a 4 x 4 vehicle.
It
did not take long to settle in amongst our friends and acclimatise to 11 hours
of hot sunshine every day and challenges of daily water and power failure!
Many
meetings were planned in our programme – this included meeting various
Government Ministers, British High Commissioner, the 5 Rotary Clubs in The
Gambia and visiting the compounds of local people and their families, attending
Gala dinners and organising a hospitality night.
Sightbox
was introduced to Start Now and GOVI in The Gambia back in January 2018 from a
visit to St Vincent’s School for Visually Impaired in Liverpool by PAG Rotarian
Minyan Jobe. He could see the educational tools through sport in the box would
make a huge difference and empower the lives of the visually impaired in The
Gambia - for example mobility, confidence, independence, team building,
friendship, education, and inclusion. Through inclusion and not segregation
comes reverse inclusion as sighted and non-sighted students work together and
in time become the trainers of the trainers. All leads to innovation and
employment and coming up with new ideas for the box which have not yet been
generated.
We
are now beginning to see not only National exam results in Maths improve but
also covering United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 17,3,4,5,8 & 10.
All coming from working with something so simple.
Various
presentations have taken place during our 5 months which included white canes,
gym kits, projectors, laptops, hand balls with bells, card games in braille.
The first eye test box is being put to use to help provide correct glasses for
people with Albinism. I spoke at seminars to make sure people with disabilities
whatever they are, are not segregated but included. No one has a disability –
it is an ability with a challenge.The hand balls went into rural Gambia where
four hubs for blind and visually impaired are being set up by Alieu Jaiteh from
Start Now Gambian winner of Holman Prize Award. The first of these hubs opened
on Saturday, 15th February 2020 in URR in the town of Basse. I drove the 350km
to Basse as I had been invited to be present at the opening ceremony and give a
statement before taking the first training session with the hand balls.
Downtime
was also important in the planning so that we could explore the countryside and
admire the birds, flowers, animals and sample the good food and wine.
My
dream was certainly fulfilled and much much more but I am now going to share
with you a challenge I had to overcome and one experience that really stood
out.
The
first meeting at GOVI school, I noticed that there was only one sighted teacher
at the school and out of the 35 students only three or four had some vision.
This was something I had to overcome and overcome fast. Luckily a meeting with
Matida, a 17 year, a past Head Girl from GOVI who I had met back in January
2018 had invited us to go and visit her and her family in their compound.
Matida has very low vision and was so happy to see us again. She has now been
placed in a school for sighted children and is doing very well. I mentioned to
her over a small cup of hot condensed milk with mint and lemon grass sat under
the Mango tree my concerns. Matida looked at me, took my hand and said “Angela,
you have the passion, you have a strong heart, go and teach the teachers and
children, I know you can do it and they
will love you for it as you will be helping to change their lives”. To hear
those words from a 17 year old who I had only met and taught briefly on my
previous visits was very touching. I made a promise to her I would overcome
this challenge and succeed.
The
experience I have chosen to share is of one that took us to Dakar in Senegal. I
had done some research prior to Novovember 9th and discovered Mercy Ships was
docked in Dakar until June 2020. I sent an email explaining who I was and what
I was doing and was it possible to board the ship. After sometime I received an
email to say that we could go on board the ship and have a 2 hour tour to see
the work that was being done to improve people’s lives. As you can imagine this
would be an experience never to forget. Meeting the crew, surgeons, patients
and their families was truly amazing. What made the experience of being on
Mercy Ships even more special was I was allowed as Ambassador of Sightbox Trust
to present the ship with a Sightbox to help all patients and families on board
with sight issues. This box will now remain on board and will travel wherever
the ship goes. The new Mercy Ships being built with the help of Rotary and
Inner Wheel will also have Sightbox on board. What an honour for Sightbox Trust
and also to be allowed to go on board at any time I wish in the future.
Having
driven some 3231km I now have to return to the UK on 24th March. I do so look
forward to coming back sometime soon.
Thank
you to everyone who made us very welcome and supported us during our 5 months
stay. Rotary is certainly one big family as we take care of each other.
