JCA Gambia Trip 2011

Gambia Trip 2011-02-07   We will depart for The Gambia on Friday 11th February, we are taking 4 staff and 12 students, and this is the sixth time we have done this trip. We are continuing to work with Farafenni Junior Secondary School, this is where we will be spending most of our time. Farafenni is about 70 miles inland from our coastal base, but because of road conditions it can take up to 2 hours to get there, this include a ferry across the River Gambia. Students will be joining lessons, some staff will be taking lessons, we will be taking part in international sporting events, some gardening, students will be delivering projects that they have devised, and we will be taking part in a debate. Whilst we are in Farafenni we will also visit the local hospital and some nursery schools, we will also be popping over the border into Senegal to get an extra passport stamp. We are going to travel further inland, to see the stone circle which is the Gambian version of Stonehenge, but on a smaller scale, visiting the former slave house in Georgetown, and going for a ‘cruise’ on the River Gambia, we will see a lot of birds and hopefully some hippos.

This year we have been very fortunate that Thomas Cook have allowed us an additional 20kgs extra per person, this has meant we are able to take a huge amount of resources with us to have within schools and the local hospital. The students have been amazing this year at contacting companies and shops and collecting really useful stuff.   When we are by the coast we will be taking in some local sites, which includes, a visit to a local nature reserve, seeing the crocodile pool, local markets, some primary schools and either the ‘Roots’ trip or a ‘Senegal Safari’. Just so you know where we will be each day, below is rough itinerary (the days we do things by the coast may change), unfortunately due to technology problems we cannot blog our events, but we hope this may change as we are helping the school this year to try and get the internet fixed.

Friday 11th February depart Gatwick at 08.10 arrive at 14.50 in Gambia Saturday 12th February Acclimatisation day Sunday 13th February Travel to Farafenni by minibus and ferry Monday 14th February – Friday 18th February Project work in Farafenni Junior Secondary School Saturday 19th February Visit Georgetown and Hippos Sunday 20th February Return to Kololi by minibus and ferry Monday 21st February Visit to Abuko nature reserve and ‘Charlie’ the crocodile. Tuesday 22nd February ‘Roots’ Trip Wednesday 23rd February Visit to Abuko Primary School Thursday 24th February Visit to the markets Friday 25th February Depart Gambia at 15.40 (hopefully!), arrive Gatwick at 21.50