Building Futures in The Gambia

It's important to 'Building Futures in The Gambia' that we work alongside the local Busumbala community in The Gambia to keep BFiG Busumbala Nursery School up and running.

Every year, after the rainy season, the school grounds will need clearing because of all the vegetation that has grown. Charity and School Manager 'Uncle' Lamin Barrow will employ members of the local community to help clear the school ground. This means that the school gets it grounds cleared and, equally as important, the charity is putting money into the local community and, ultimately, the Gambian economy. Lamin will oversee the work and also carry out the work himself.

Here are a couple of photos from last week showing the semi-cleared grounds. You can see that it's a big job and there's a lot of work involved chopping the vegetation down and then removing it from the school site.

Look out for more news about the school opening later today.

Don't forget to check out our website at https://www.bfigcharity.org/

Had a lovely afternoon delivering three 'Building Futures in The Gambia' charity assemblies with Mark to the children at Albert Pritchard Infant and Wood Green Junior Federated Schools. What a lovely school full of kind, respectful and well behaved children!

Spent some time with their Pupil Leaders being interviewed which was recorded (eek!) and will be shared with the school community.

Albert Pritchard Infant and Wood Green Junior Federated Schools will be donating 50% of all their fund raising to the charity. This will help us build a wall around BFiG Busumbala Nursery School to keep our children safe and secure. If you'd like to donate to this project then please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813

Thank you to Matthew Wilmot for organising it all and Mark and myself look forward to working with the school across this academic year.

Raffle for food packages which can be sent to a Gambian friend of your choosing. Definitely worth buying a ticket.

First Aid 4 Gambia will be providing training for staff at BFiG Busumbala Nursery School in this academic year.

Will draw on Saturday at 7PM Last chance for numbers

Food Package Raffle. 200 Numbers at £2.50 per number. 20 food packages of Sardines, Chicken, Potatoes, Onions, oil, tea, jimbo, noodles and spaghetti to be collected from Tallinding.

1 Carolyn Jawo
2 Joanna Macgillivray
3 Sandra Jallow
4 Jane Elizabeth Sandham
5 Lorraine Holland
6 Janice Hammett
7 Karen Chapman
8 Chaz Bryant
9 Les Short
10 Claire Bridge
11 Pauline Phelps
12 Sandra Jadama
13 Joanna Macgillivray
14 Sandra Jadama
15 Les Short
16 Colette Richardson
17 Colette Richardson
18 Les Short
19 Les Short
20 Katrina Wylie
21 Geoff Cox
22 Jean Campbell Murray
23 Karen Jayne Chorr
24 Gaye Lander
25 Rusty Vine
26 Joanna MacGillivray
27 Geoff Cox
28 Heather Diane Thomson
29 Janice Hammett
30 Janice Hammett
31 Jane Elizabeth Sandham
32 Isatou Sonko
33 Leah Black
34 Karen Jayne Chorr
35 Rohey Sanneh
36 Chris Gracie
37 Karen Chapman
38
39 Paul Lafferty
40 Gaye Lander
41
42 Pete Kendrick
43
44 Karen Chapman
45
46 Claire Bridge
47 Diana Davison
48 Karen Scarratt
49 Sandra Jadama
50 Geoff Cox
51
52
53 Chaz Bryant
54 Lorraine Holland
55 Isatou Sonko
56 Katrina Wylie
57
58 Joanna MacGillivray
59 Janice Hammett
60
61 Gaye Lander
62
63 Julie Sanyang
64 Donna Stewart
65 Joanna MacGillivray
66
67 Rusty Vine
68 Sandra Jadama
69 Sandra Jallow
70
71 Paul Lafferty
72
73 Leah Black
74 Karen Chapman
75
76
77 Chris Gracie
78 Karen Chapman
79
80 Carolyn Jawo
81
82 Geoff Cox
83 Jean Campbell Murray
84
85
86 Claire Bridge
87
88 Sally Ann
89 Joanna MacGillivray
90
91 Gaye Lander
92
93
94 Diana Davison
95
96 Donna Stewart
97 Julie Sanyang
98
99 Pauline Phelps
100 Sandra Jadama
101
102 Geoff Cox
103 Rohey Sanneh
104 Karen Chapman
105
106 Katrina Wylie
107
108 Carole Marshall
109
110
111
112 Lorraine Holland
113
114
115 Sandra Jallow
116
117
118 Chris Gracie
119
120 Leah Black
121
122 Paul Lafferty
123
124
125 Rusty Vine
126
127
128 Karen Chapman
129
130
131
132 Diana Davison
133
134
135 Geoff Cox
136
137 Chaz Bryant
138
139
140
141
142
143 Carolyn Jawo
144
145
146 Gaye Lander
147
148 Julie Sanyang
149
150
151 Diana Davison
152
153 Geoff Cox
154 Jean Campbell Murray
155
156 Pete Kendrick
157 Karen Scarratt
158
159 Chris Gracie
160
161 Paul Lafferty
162
163 Geoff Cox
164 Sandra Jadama
165
166 Leah Black
167 Karen Chapman
168 Carole Marshall
169
170 Claire Bridge
171 Pauline Phelps
172
173
174 Sally Ann
175
176
177 Geoff Cox
178
179
180 Donna Stewart
181
182 Geoff Cox
183
184
185 Lorraine Holland
186
187
188 Sandra Jallow
189
190
191 Julie Sanyang
192
193 Carolyn Jawo
194 Katrina Wylie
195 Donna Stewart
196 Jean Campbell Murray
197 Gaye Lander
198 Chaz Bryant
199 Geoff Cox
200 Pauline Phelps

Preferred payment option
Debit/credit card/PayPal
https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/first-aid-4-gambia
Bank transfer
First Aid 4 Gambia
Account number
01717873
Sort code
08-71-99
PayPal
paypal.me/FirstAid4Gambia

The 'Building Futures in The Gambia' Charity 2025 Calendar is now available (A4 £8 and A3 £10). Drop me a message or comment if you'd like a copy.

However, here are a few images which didn't quite make it this year (they may appear in the 2026 calendar). I've also attached the preview images for the 2025 calendar.

Don't forget that we're currently running a fund raiser to build a wall around the BFiG Busumbala Nursery School site. It will help us safeguard our children. Go and take a look at https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813

Thank you.

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Copies of next year's 'Building Futures in The Gambia' charity calendar are currently winging their way to me. I can order A4 and A3 sizes at £8 and £10 respectively. Photography is by the wonderful Mark Holland and myself as usual. Let me know if you'd like a copy. See the photos below for a preview of the contents.

Don't forget our current fundraiser to build a wall around BFiG Busumbala Nursery School to safeguard the children. Go and visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813 and make a donation.

Thank you.

Building Futures in The Gambia (@bfig_charity) • Instagram photos and videos 225 Followers, 246 Following, 109 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Building Futures in The Gambia ()

I visited the Sand Mosque at Gunjur in The Gambia in January 2024. I'm aiming to go back there in January 2025 (amongst other places).

Here are some photos of 'Building Futures in The Gambia' School and Charity Manager Lamin Barrow looking towards the beautiful Gambian sunset from the beach at the back of the Mosque.

'Building Futures in The Gambia' is currently trying to raise money to pay for a wall around BFiG Busumbala Nursery School to keep the children safe and secure. If you'd like to help us, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813 and make a donation. Even a small donation will help us reach our target. Please support us.

Thank you.

Next year's 'Building Futures in The Gambia' charity calendar inches closer to completion. As usual, Birmingham Newman University lecturer Mark Holland will also be contributing some of his wonderful photos. This is one of them.

Watch this space for more details.

'Building Futures in The Gambia' trustee Mark John and Steph Edwards were married today. Instead of receiving wedding gifts, they've asked for donations to be sent to the BFiG Busumbala Nursery School Great Wall Appeal at https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813

Huge congratulations and best wishes for the future to Mark and Steph. You can show them that you're thinking of them by making a donation at https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813

Thank you.

I've just donated my winnings from the First Aid 4 Gambia Raffle Page to our current BFiG Busumbala Nursery School Great Wall Appeal at https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813

First Aid 4 Gambia will be working with Building Futures in The Gambia to provide first aid training for our staff in the near future.

Find out more about FA4G at First Aid 4 Gambia and join in the monthly raffle at First Aid 4 Gambia Raffle Page

And don't forget to visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813 to help us build a wall to keep the BFiG Busumbala Nursery School children safe and also to say congratulations to Trustee Mark John and Steph Edwards who will be getting married on Tuesday 13th August.

Thank you.

'Building Futures in The Gambia' trustee Mark John and Steph Edwards will be getting married next Tuesday. Instead of wedding gifts, they're asking people to contribute to the 'BFiG Busumbala Great Wall Project'. This is an incredibly kind gesture from Mark and Steph. Go and take a look at https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813 to find out more.

All schools need a wall to keep the children safe and secure. It's particularly important to BFiG Busumbala Nursery School because a nearby road is cutting into the schools grounds and making them unsafe for the children. As time goes by, the road has increasingly impacted on the children's play space. Take a look at the Google Maps photo below and you can see how the road has affected the school grounds.

This is a big and expensive project but it is incredibly important. A wall means that we can keep the children safe. It also means that we can develop the school grounds, plant trees and also build a school garden. Growing crops is an incredibly important part of the Gambia school curriculum.

Please help us. Visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813 and make a donation and help Mark and Steph celebrate their wedding.

Thank you.

I'm still sorting out images for the 2025 'Building Futures in The Gambia' charity calendar. Here's a group of children from 'Uncle' Lamin Barrow's village Sankandi who'll be appearing.

BFiG Charity Trustee Mark John and Steph Edwards will be getting married in a few days time. Instead of wedding gifts, they'd like contributions to the BFiG Busumbala Nursery School Great Wall Project. Go and visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/busumbala-school-wall-1720952100813 and help us build a wall to keep the children of BFiG Busumbala Nursery School safe.

Calendars will be on sale in September/October so look out for those.

Thank you.

Come on, everybody. This will take you just a few minutes to set up and then you're supporting 'Building Futures in The Gambia' without even realising it and at no cost to yourself. 🙂🙂🙂

If you’re shopping the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, make sure you use . Over 7,500 brands will donate, so you can raise a FREE donation for Building Futures in The Gambia every time you grab a bargain, whether that's gadgets, electricals, games consoles, toys, clothes, gifts or anything else! Please sign up and help us raise more at:

You spend, brands donate to Building Futures in The Gambia. Help us when you shop with 7,000+ brands. Join now.

Just letting you know that Building Futures in The Gambia is now registered with easyfundraising, which means you can raise FREE donations for us every time you shop online.

Over 7,000 brands will donate to us when you use easyfundraising to shop with them – at no extra cost to yourself! These donations really mount up and make a BIG difference to us, so we’d really appreciate it if you could take a moment to sign up and support us.

It’s completely FREE and only takes a moment. You can find our easyfundraising page at https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bfig/

Thank you so much!

You spend, brands donate to Building Futures in The Gambia. Help us when you shop with 7,000+ brands. Join now.

Here's one of my favourite photos from The Gambia. It was taken on the south bank of the River Gambia on the return journey from Janjanbureh which is a looonnnnggg way up country. You might recognise the taxi which belongs to Lamin Barrow

While you're admiring the photo, I'd also like to remind you that the 'Building Futures in The Gambia' charity is currently active on our website at https://bfigcharity.org/ and on the socials at https://www.instagram.com/bfig_charity/ and https://www.facebook.com/bfigcharity and https://www.facebook.com/groups/gambiaschoolsproject

Please come and give us a follow and find out how we're doing with our Busumbala Nursery School project. Perhaps you'd like to help. 🙂

Thank you.

I currently have a VERY limited run of charity calendars in my possession. I have seven A4 and five A3 calendars left.

A4 is £10.50 including postage and packing in a sturdy cardboard envelope and A3 is £13.50. This is second class so I can keep costs down. If you're close enough for me to drop it off then A4 is £8 and A3 is £10.

If you'd like one then please send me a message first. I'll need your address. You can pay either by doing a bank transfer directly to me or through the charity PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/bfigcharity. I'd prefer a bank transfer if possible as PayPal takes a small fee.

Check out the photos for a preview of the calendar contents.

Thank you!

'Building Futures in The Gambia' Charity Update 27/10/2023

Busumbala Nursery School has a new school badge. I sent the design to Lamin Barrow last night and today we have sixty badges ready to go. Lamin has also sourced a supplier for our school uniform and it will be available to our families next week, all being well.

Please support us. Running a school costs money and we need your help. We need to pay for our teacher and we need to buy school resources. And we still need to complete our third classroom. And we need a school wall...and a well or water pump...the list goes on!

Here are the ways you can donate to us. Even a few pounds will help us buy some exercise books or pencils or first aid equipment. Please consider making a one off or a regular donation. Use these links. Don't forget to select Gift Aid; we get an extra 25% from the government.

https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/donate/building-futures-in-the-gambia

https://www.paypal.com/GB/fundraiser/charity/3225346

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/bfigcharity

Thank you.

'Building Futures in The Gambia' Charity Update 05/10/2023

Last weekend, 'Uncle' Lamin Barrow held a meeting to establish a committee who would be willing to support in the running of Busumbala Nursery. Lamin is going to be our overall school manager but he'll need help with the day to day running of the school. You can see him in the photo with some of our Busumbala Villager friends.

This weekend, pupil registration will take place and, hopefully, the school will open some time next week.

The school site should also have been cleared by the weekend with the help of a local family.

Please remember, we need lots of help with the running costs of the school. One easy way to make a one of donation or a regular donation is to visit https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/donate/building-futures-in-the-gambia

Click on 'Donation Type' to choose either a regular or a one off donation. Don't forget to select Gift Aid if you're eligible. This means we get an extra 25% on top of your donation.

More news as it comes!

'Building Futures in The Gambia' Charity Update 27/09/2023

'Uncle' Lamin Barrow has been busy. He's currently arranging for the school grounds to be cleared. Take a look at the photo to see how they look at the moment. That's what happens every year when the rains come. It looks very pleasant but it's important that the land is clear because of the risk of snake bites to the children.

The door and window shutters for the third classroom have been made and now need painting. They'll be installed once the grounds are cleared and the school is open to the first class of children.

Lamin will very soon be meeting with our new teacher to arrange a time scale for the opening of the school. He's determined that this will happen over the next couple of weeks.

This project wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for Lamin. He's a vital part of the charity.

In the mean time, we still desperately need donations to help pay for our teacher and for school resources. See the details in the image below. Huge thanks to those who have already contributed.

Watch this space for more news!

Call all ex-Newman University students. We need your help. Please check out the details below and see previous posts.
Please help us provide an education for nursery aged children in The Gambia. Help us pay for our teacher.
And please share this post.
Thank you.

'Building Futures in The Gambia' Charity Update 21/09/2023

If you've followed my posts, you'll know that we now have a teacher for our first class of children at Busumbala Nursery School. However, we need £70 a month to pay her salary. That's not very much at all compared to teachers in the UK.

If 70 of you were to pay a £1 donation every month then that would allow us to teacher our first class of children. You wouldn't even notice £1 disappearing out of your bank account every month.

You can do that. You can make a one off donation or a regular donation by visiting out Total Giving page at https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/donate/building-futures-in-the-gambia

Or you can donate to our PayPal account using the link paypal.me/bfigcharity

You can also donate to our PayPal account by scanning the QR code below.

It doesn't have to be a pound. Donating more would be fantastic.

Please help.