Join Hands Gambia Receive Guests from UK

Marie Madeline Gomez, project director and founder of Join Hands UK and Gambia, who arrived in Banjul earlier with colleague Mariam Camara ahead of their visitors, said Join Hands seek to help others through their fundraising activities, educational forums, and training workshops.

"This the first time that we have created a branch in The Gambia and our key aim is to enhance community cohesion andintegration through supporting youth based projectsin The Gambia, reduce child poverty through sponsorship and engagement in community based projects in The Gambia," she explained.

She said , they are currently involved in numerous projects which include; wall fencing of a community school and building of two classroom blocks and a nursery schoolin Tawutouwhich is been financed by the Northfleet Youth Group.

"Recently we received D105,000 to complete thewall fencing of the school..As part of the project we also intend to support a small scale gardening project and build a little clinic on the land to support the women of Tawutou ," she pointed out.

Marie also stated that Join Hands The Gambia, Tawutou Scouts and Northfleet Youths will be working hand in hand on the project from Saturday to Thursday and their guests are expected to return to the UK on Friday.

In welcoming the visitors, Amie Faal, secretary of Join Hands Youths Association of The Gambia, highlighted thatthis was the second phase of theirTawutou based school building project which they will gradually enlarge to a full length resource centre.

"We wish to thank our sponsors from the UK for raising D105,00 for the completion of the wall fencing and Join Hands UK for their D70,000 on the construction of the two classroomNursery school to be opened this year, " she added.

Mrs. Isatou Joof Gajigo, headmistress of SanchanbaSulayJobeLowerBasicSchool and partner of Join Hands, was impressed with the young people's focus on education and assured the group of her institutions support in the training of teachers for the attainment of quality education for the children of the area.

"As part of the partnership, I came along with six students and teachers to welcome our UK guests," she said.

Nigel Crocker, leader of the Northfleet Youth Group from UK, said the partnership with Join Hands started three years ago.

"We as a group seek to assist local communities in terms of access to education because it is unlike the UK where we have all the necessary facilities to education. We working together to raise funds and assist were necessary," he added.