PREPARATION AND ARRIVAL TO THE GAMBIA
The departure to the Gambia was scheduled on 23 October 2013. Before the departure of the first volunteers, we had a meeting with Urša, the co-founder of the association, where we received a lot of new information. Until then I did not know I would be going on this trip alone. The fact gave me shivers. So many hows, ifs and whats ran through my mind, still there was a voice somewhere telling me that everything would be all right. A feeling that I was going home after long years and I did not have to be afraid. And truly… I prepared for the trip as best as I could. Mobile phone numbers were written in multiple places. And so I drove towards Italy early in the morning full of advices – from Italy to Barcelona and then to the Gambia. The smell of African soil after we stepped off the plane made my hair stand on end. I could not comprehend that I was there. I woke up when they took my passport and told me that I needed to be picked up by someone or that I needed to tell them where I would be staying. What is worse than your phone dying at exactly that moment? Fortunately, all ended well as Ursa and Musa were already waiting for me at the entrance.
The real adventure started when we sat into a car, which was about to fall into pieces, and drove to the house. I could barely get any sleep from all the excitement and talking late into the night. In the morning, I got up full of happiness and joy to finally be able to go to the Mobe-Ta kindergarten/school.
CHILDREN AND WORK IN THE MOBE-TA KINDERGARTEN
The children screamed and squealed from happiness and hugged us even though they did not even know us. What a feeling… I participated in several classes in the Mobe-Ta and worked with different teachers. I had not imagined it would be so hard. Children are so alive, happy and playful that it is very difficult to get them to study. There were no problems with the games, obviously. There was a lot of laughter, and even the teachers joined us. You are done for if you are not in shape.
In addition to volunteering in the kindergarten, help is needed in improving the conditions of the spaces, which are in really bad condition. Rain bent the ceiling because of bad roof tiles, classrooms have holes in the floors, the chalkboard are not any good anymore, and the chairs are either broken or there are not enough for all the kids. The tables are also in poor condition. The children are crammed into a hot, dusty room with hardly any space to move around. It is extremely hard to work in these conditions, in addition to every teacher having 30 children. I hold the teachers in high esteem that they try to work in these conditions and with such low salaries.
In the kindergarten, we cooperated with the teachers very nicely. Classes consisted of learning, drawing, painting, crafts, and singing and, of course, last but not least, playing, which was a form of prize. The children could not wait to play tug of war, “Who’s afraid of the boogie-man”, and play with jump ropes. It was sad to see that some children did not even know how to hold a pencil let alone had ever before seen watercolours. I will never forget the class, where I gave them brushes and they started smelling them, turning their noses up and tickle their arms. Or those days, when they purposefully broke the tips of pencils just so they could have fun watching us sharpening them again. When they took every possible colour pencil to try the colours on paper and then show their masterpieces. And the singing and learning Slovenian songs, laughter, hugging the children and the teachers… Unforgettable. The days at school were interesting, happy, hard and also sad, when looking at the whole situation.
LEISURE
In our spare time, we visited the parks (the snake park, the monkey park, the crocodile park) and markets, and enjoyed the beautiful and indescribable beach,. We also visited the village Barra, a village that leaves you speechless. To reach it, it takes you a half hour on a crammed boat. The village is extremely polluted. You literally walk through the litter, but there is still a part of the village so beautiful, you simply stop in your tracks and enjoy it. The people are warm and friendly, really friendly; they welcome you and treat you like they have known you for years. We were served a delicious lunch Benachin (spicy rice and smoked fish) on a local’s backyard and, of course, the traditional attaja (most popular tea) that mostly men make for themselves.
FAREWELL – THE MOST EMOTIONAL PART OF THE TRAVEL AND WORK
The last day at school was very emotional. We all knew about the tough farewell, except for the children who excitedly waited for the weekend to begin.
At farewell, almost all of the volunteers put on their sunglasses under the pretext of a strong sunlight. However, there were tears and a silence with a lump in our throats… Though we did joke about it later that the heat was actually a good thing, since it dried our tears in an instant.
I am very happy, that The Kids Are the World made it possible for me to volunteer and enabled such a unique experience. What is most important is that children receive their education and daily meals with the help the association and the patrons. May they be at least this successful in the future.
I would also like to thank all of my colleagues, friends and acquaintances for donating school supplies, toys and notebooks, which I packed into two suitcases and delivered to the Gambia.
volunteer Ines Kraljic
