When GambiaRising first started working in the Lower River Region, Peace Corps staff were excited because the "training villages" in Kiang district where new Volunteers spent their first months in country were dear to their hearts.  Those villages never received Peace Corps volunteers. (That preserved them as "typical" villages for the new trainees.)  Now the least fortunate children in those villages would get sorely needed help.

Several years ago, we put together a special appeal for help with training villages. Two returned Peace Corps Volunteers said they wanted to take care of Kaiaf. Three years later, 137 students in the Kaiaf schools are studying with their support. Of these, 130 are in junior and senior secondary school (7th to 12th grades: the prime years for dropping out and also for child marriage). Of those, 101 are girls. Another girl is studying to be a teacher at Gambia College.

It is one of our strongest programs. 

We'll let a few photos tell the rest of the story.

We try to focus on telling the incredible stories of those we have helped with our donors support, but the honest truth is that we turn away more than we help. The end of the year is when this all comes to a head.  January is not too late to start school.  January is when college and university students are sent home if they haven't paid their tuition. We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who has renewed their support this year already. And to those who donate monthly; every day if we need a morale boost, we look at our email and see that day's receipts.  If you are reading this, and are able to donate even $10 a month, but haven't contributed yet this year, I really hope you will. These kids deserve a chance.  

Let's come through for them.

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

1500 Park Ave Apt PH503
Emeryville, CA  94608-3578