It is that time of year.  Students are taking their exams, and we are adding up the commitments we have made for the September school year, while trying to decide if we dare make new promises to the others who come to us daily.  Each year we promise to be careful not to over-commit.  Each year, we err on the side of promising to do too much.  And each year so far, our 200+ steady supporters have come through, while others have joined us.  It breaks our hearts to say "no" to anyone, so we are counting on everyone supporting our students again this year.  And truth be told, we also need some new donors to join us.  Because Peace Corps won't be making any new Returned Volunteers this year!  If you would like to help fundraise and be a member of GambiaRising's Development Council, please reply to this note and we'll be in touch. (Full description is here.)

The stakes couldn't be higher this year.  We had hoped that the COVID vaccines would bring the return of tourists and a boost to the economy.  Instead, we are seeing the Delta variant sweeping the country, just as the rains push everyone indoors and election season is beginning.  So our help will be needed more than ever this year.

We believe that every Gambian child deserves to be in school through grade 12.  And that the very best of the best deserve a chance to go further.  When we saw Ndey S____'s results in the West Africa Senior School Exams this week, they were among the best we've ever seen -- easily in the top 1% of scores nationwide.  Then our Coordinator forwarded the text that Ndey sent to us:

"My name is Ndey S___ and I am an orphan from Kass Wollof in Central River Region North. My family's main occupation is subsistence farming.... I am unfortunate that my father buried all his brothers before he died in 2016.  Since then my education has been a struggle. I have no relatives who can at least give attention to my education; instead they have been proposing and arranging marriages for me which I and my widowed mother are reluctant to. It is because of this that my mother had to move me from the village to Medina Serign Mass and later to Kombo all under guardianship. I am bearing more than what people could understand but my wish is just to finish my education and have my story at my back. The whole of my background or story could be verified at Kass Wollof.

"Upon completion of Senior School, I got admission to the University of The Gambia to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Economics. I sought help from people to raise some money that I used to start. I have already completed my first year based on arrangements that have already elapsed last semester and I am supposed to settle that arrears before I can be allowed to start this Semester in September. You can verify this from the attached invoice or even verify from the UTG. 

"I am very young and ambitious to be educated so as to be able to accomplish my late father's wish and to be able to serve the nation at the highest levels. I have been reaching out to people for help but no one is yet to come to my rescue to clear this balance. I am very much afraid of what will happen to my studies next semester if I can’t pay this balance. I, at last, have a high hope that writing or meeting you will save me from the threat of failure.

"If you help me realize this dream, I will always remember you in our family legacy and my late father will be so pleased with you for helping him shape the future of his daughter. 

"Please help me.

"Thank you."

Ndey needed $500 immediately to pay her arrears; we will pay that this week.  As for the next three years, that depends on our ability to raise more funds this year than we did last year.   We choose to remain hopeful, because every year so far, you have surprised us. 

And this year it will take every one of us.

Mike McConnell
Managing Trustee
GambiaRising
www.gambiarising.org
www.facebook.com/gambiarising

1500 Park Ave Apt PH503
Emeryville, CA 94608-3578