Trip to Gambia to visit Agency for Village Support
The Gambia is well known for palm fringed beaches and high rise hotels, but up country in Kaur where AVISU is based is a different story altogether. Tarred roads give way to sandy tracks that lead to villages and small towns with no running water or electricity, few clinics, limited schools and few work opportunities outside subsistence farming.
All were touched with how warm and welcoming everyone was, and were pleased to see how Village Aid’s funding changes the lives of poor rural families. “We were struck by how relatively small sums of money can make a huge difference; £10 could provide a school uniform and school books for a pupil for a year, £10-15 could provide a farmer with basic tools!”.
Visiting local schools and hospitals Kate notes “Schools and hospitals were horribly under equipped and poor, children almost in rags, large classes – you know the picture; little water, 6 toilets in a school of 864 children – a little would go a long way out there”.
Avisu works in rural communities to provide literacy training, micro-credit facilities, sustainable agriculture and community development.
If you would like more information on Village Aid’s work, please contact Jo Williams jo@villageaid.org Tel: 01629 814434