After a quick lunch, we headed to Wellingara Lower Basic School (referred to as Elementary schools in Canada). We had been told that a pen pal letter exchange had been arranged with a grade 2 and a grade 5/6 class. We had brought numerous letters with us from both Sambro Elementary and Ian Forsythe Elementary schools in Halifax regional Municipality in the hopes of having Gambian students write similar letters that we could bring back to Canada. If possible, we were thinking that we might set up a school twinning between the schools in Canada and Wellingara. We were also planning to speak to the classes about Canada and get them to tell us about the things they would like us to talk to children in Canada about themselves andwhat they like to do and the kind of environment they have.
We had no expectations for any formal greeting and certainly did not expect what we were met with. As we drove towards the entrance of the
Wellingara School, we could
see a few children holding up signs and then girls dressed in traditional West African beads and ceremonial dress. We couldn't believe our eyes when they started cheering us upon our arrival. We got out of the vehicle and then saw that there were girl guides in their uniforms and others dancing and cheering. We were prodded to move forward and the sight that we were met with when we turned the corner to the school yard is something I will never forget. There was a processional way
cleared for us to walk down with all of the students and teachers from the school lining either side. Everyone was cheering and waving and wanting us to shake their hands. It was a greeting for someone famous. Presidential. I was embarrassed and in awe: I had never experienced anything like it. Who were we to receive such a welcome!? We were ferried into the Headmaster's office where we were told that this was the school's first opportunity to welcome visitors from another country. Many schools in regions of Africa benefit from twinning with schools in Europe or North America. This school did not. They were struggling to make ends meet, and to
provide the basic education requirements for their students. We were a godsend, they informed us. Within those few minutes sitting in the Headmasters' office, we all knew that we would carry some of this responsibility for the rest of our lives. We were speechless, in tears, and changed in many ways.
From this office, we went to a classroom where we were treated to dancing, singing and skits.
From there, we had the opportunity to deliver the letters from Canada to the two classes, talk about life in Canada and receive messages from the students to take back to the students in Halifax.
This experience was the origin of the Wellingara Foundation, which will serve as a non-profit charitable organization to support the basic supplies and infrastructure requirements of schools in West Africa. We will begin with the Wellingara Lower Basic School. A web site is being created for this Foundation, where more information can be learned about the initiative. In the meantime, I post photos from the experience here, followed by a letter summarizing the details of the Wellingara School.
1 comments:
Dear Cathy
I read your article with great interest as we have just completed a trip to the Gambia. We came across Wellingara Lower Basic School on a visit in 2007 and made a commitment to raise funds to purchase the materials to build the external wall; which we did and the wall was completed by villagers completed two weeks ago.
The Nubian Society have made a commitment to continue to support the school and I would be grateful if you could keep us posted so that we do not duplicate work being done. We wish you every success with the Wellingara Foundation. We can be contacted on nubiansociety@hotmail.co.uk
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