PING- People in Need Gambia

NGO operating in Gambia ,already built clean water systems in 17 villages for 25,000 Gambians. We have a further list of 10 villages waiting for help Drip feed systems for agriculture, brick making, bee keeping, and support for education have all been provided to gain economic support for the water systems maintenance.

We have tried to follow the latest thinking of gurus in the aid world. Throwing money at a problem doesn’t solve it. Experienced management on the ground is needed to assess and evaluate a project, to plan and monitor it as well as motivating the locals involved. Well-meaning tourists had previously visited the village of Bafaluto and made promises of help but nothing had materialised. However we returned to the area and had a combined meeting with representatives of 5 local villages. We carried out a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) and after a lively discussion, there was a vote taken whereby it was agreed that the priority was clean drinking water and a village garden to grow vegetables and fruit. We chose Bafaluto (pop.600) as the first village.​We had been lucky to meet Mr Momodou Joof, vice-principal of St Theresa’s School in Serrekunda. He had done courses in Community Development and was due to retire. He had set up a local organisation, Future Farmers of the Gambia, with the aim of training young people how to work the land adjoining their villages and become self-sufficient. This has a synergy with our future aspirations. Momodou agreed to work with PING and began establishing costs and timescales for the two-pronged project. During a visit in July 2007, a final budget with start & completion dates was signed off.