“It takes a village to raise a child” African proverb
At All Saints, we are immensely proud of the link we share with the community of Soma in The Gambia, West Africa - best known as our ‘Learning through Friendship’ project, in collaboration with the Kaira Konko Scout Fellowship. Together, we have helped to grow education, scouting and opportunities for the young people of Soma while also supporting sustainable community based projects.
Each February half term, we lead an All Saints staff trip to Soma, always staying at Kaira Konko Scout Lodge, and during our week we engage in joint curriculum projects with the staff and children at Soma School –engaging with and addressing global issues together. Our most recent projects and work exchanges have been themed around peace, friendship, sustainable gardening and renewable energy.
As part of our annual trip, we also source a rural community project in need of support and the recent work carried out at Jabisa School is testament to the impact of our community fundraising efforts and on-going commitment to make a sustainable difference.
Aims
‘Learning through Friendship’ is at the heart of our Gambia link and our joint-curriculum projects are planned in collaboration with staff at Soma School. Together, we strive to provide learning experiences that raise awareness of, and commitment to, a fairer and more sustainable world. In partnership with the Kaira Konko Scout Fellowship, we strive to grow education and opportunities for the people of Soma.
Our project aims are to...
- Encourage our children to reflect on both their own lives and the lives of others
- Inspire a life-long commitment to be of service to others
- Foster a sense of global responsibility and a deep-rooted understanding of community
- Engage in global themes and issues through joint curriculum projects and work exchanges
- Assist rural schools and sustainable projects through community and child-led fundraising
- Promote and develop the Soma School Peace Club and support teacher training
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About The Gambia
The Gambia, a small country in West Africa, is described as the ‘smiling coast of Africa, which is easy to see why when you experience the friendly welcome of its people. The country is named after the River Gambia, which flows throughout the whole length of The Gambia and meets the Atlantic Ocean at the coastal capital city, Banjul. The Gambia, almost entirely surrounded by Senegal, has 50 miles of coastline and is less than 30 miles wide at its greatest width.
The Gambia has a wet and dry season. Rice, a staple food crop of The Gambia, is grown during the rainy season. While the River Gambia provides water for farming, the soil is sandy and poor, which means that crops don’t grow well. The women of The Gambia work incredibly hard to harvest crops including cassava, bananas, onions and rice. Oysters from the River Gambia are also harvested. The country relies heavily on its farming and fishing, with peanuts being one of its biggest exports.
The Gambia is a popular tourist destination, with most visitors staying on the coast and few venturing in land to experience the vibrant culture of the true Gambia. More than half the population lives in urban areas, particularly around the capital city. Although The Gambia is one of the smallest countries in mainland Africa, it is rich with culture and diversity and home to a wide variety of local languages including Mandinka, Wolof, Fula and Sarahule. The poignant novel ‘Roots’, which retraces the events of the transatlantic slave trade, starts in The Gambia.
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Soma Town - our link community
Soma is located on the Trans-Gambia highway – the most important road in The Gambia, running across the centre of the country. It is a 3-4 hour drive from Banjul, passing by small towns, rural villages and over the River Gambia.
Soma town is a similar size to Fleet. The tarmacked main road is lined shops and stalls. Behind these is a maze of rickety market stalls and places for sellers to sit with their wares on a piece of fabric. Homes don’t have fridges and so the market is always bustling and noisy with housewives buying the day’s meals and catching up on gossip. There is a small supermarket style shop but the market is the favoured place to shop. A row of tailors shops sits beside the market and the buzzing of sewing machines can be heard.
Click on a photo below to enlarge.
Kaira Konko Scout Lodge
Kaira Konko Lodge is the first building on the left as you arrive in Soma! Kaira Konko, Mandinka for ‘The Hill of Peace’, was built following a Hampshire scout expedition in 1989. Scouting is well respected in The Gambia and Kaira Konko has a thriving Scout Group with boys and girls of all ages meeting each Friday afternoon. You will find them at Kaira Konko every day; gardening, doing homework, playing and just spending time together. Kaira Konko is a community hub, providing a supportive environment for the scouts and their families.
Kaira Konko scouts assist their community to overcome everyday challenges in one of the world’s poorest countries. Profits from the lodge are used to fund small community projects, such as repairing homes damaged by the rains, and developing a women’s garden to support local families.
