We decided a long time ago that GambiaRising would not be able to help those for whom paying to costs of going to school was merely difficult. 

Our focus would be on those for whom it was impossible.

So our program is skewed toward two ends of a spectrum, At one end are about fifty of the country's brightest students, who got such exceptional test scores and showed such ability that we felt we had to go to great lengths for them to go to Gambia College or the University of The Gambia.  These are the nation's future leaders, teachers, nurses, and development workers. They are few, and by any other country's standards, the costs for them to go to college are incredibly inexpensive. But by Gambian standards, and even ours, they are costly enough that we have to limit ourselves to supporting only the "best of the best".  

Jamie J. was one of these.  She dropped out after 9th grade when her father got too sick to work.  But she didn't give up hope.  At age 18, after "sitting" for several years, she found GambiaRising, and we helped her go back to school in 2016.  It was June but she insisted on going back right away.  That fall, she went back to 10th grade. First, she won the spelling contest.  A few months later she was promoted to 11th grade. The next year, in 12th grade, she was named Banjulunding Senior Secondary School's Assistant Head Girl.  And so after just two years, Jamie graduated, and was named the school’s Best Female Commerce Student and the Best Overall Female Student. Now Jamie wants to be a teacher; she's applied to Gambia College. Should we help her? Of course we should.  Can we help her?  That's up to you.

At the other end of the cost spectrum are the multitude of students who have either dropped out or who are in danger of dropping out for lack of a very small amount of money for uniforms, books, supplies. Teachers, or mothers come to see our Community Coordinators to tell us about students who dropped out of school, or girls who have been told they're being pulled out to be married, or a divorced mother moving back in with her mother who can't pay for her kids schooling after being divorced.  And that's where most of our work is done.  

Sarata is one of them.

A teacher notified us that Sarata did not come to school last year.  We couldn't help but assured her we wouldn't forget her and she would go on our waiting list. This year, we visited her again and made this short video. We have found a tailor who will sew Sarata's uniforms for free if we buy the cloth. She will also need schoolbooks, and a bookbag. Her also school charges "study fees".  Add it all up, and she needs $60 to go back to school.  That's out of the question for her mother.  But it's just $5 a month for Sarata and others like her, if you'll join us.

It is hard to overstate the difference it will make for any young Gambian to get an education.  So often, the mothers who come to us know all too well that their position in life is directly connected to their lack of education (and early marriage). They just want better for their kids. 

And once we start to support a student, we will stay with them until they complete 12th grade. Just knowing that they have this backing changes their point of view about what their life can be. We can see their personalities change as they grow up, not staying at home doing chores, but going to school with an ever-smaller cohort of peers, until by 12th grade, they are among the 3% of low-income Gambians who complete 12th grade. 

We aren't seeking to be the only non-profit you donate to; just one of them. We do try to be the most effective, the most impactful.  Our all-volunteer organization ensures that 100% of your donation will be used to support students. And our monthly donation program means that it will take just $5 per month to send Sarata and others like her back to school.  $12.50 per month will get a student through senior secondary school (grades 10 to 12).

Everyone who has lived in The Gambia has known a child like Sarata.

Now is the moment to give them a hand.

What makes GambiaRising work is consistency. And that means we rely on you.  If you supported a student or students last year, your renewal now allows us to use our new funds raised to support new students, like Jamie and Sarata.  

It takes so little to change a life

Thank you.

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

1500 Park Ave., Apt PH503
Emeryville, CA  94608-3578