"We are giving children an education that supports The Gambia’s future."
Our Story
Karen and Tony
We have become a flagship school and we now want to grow this charity to make a greater impact in the country.
In 1996 we visited the village of Farato and under a mango tree saw a group of village children chanting the alphabet back to their teacher. We knew we could do something to help but never believed our journey would take off as it did.
In 1999 we decided to help build two classrooms which we have developed into a school that provides education to any student no matter their background or ability.
We now have 10 classrooms and have increased enrolment from 80 to 650 pupils between the ages of 3 to 16. Importantly, we have introduced a teacher training sponsorship programme.
Our achievements so far...
We are very proud of all that we have achieved so far in creating an environment that not only supports the development of the pupils but also the employees and surrounding community.
In the top 10 of exam achievements in The Gambia
100% of our first graduate year passed their external exams achieving the second highest results in The Gambia. Each year the school is in the top 10 of exam achievements - yet we do not select our pupils.
700% increase in pupils in 20 years
In 2000, we started with 80 pupils aged 3-7 years, rising in 2024 to 650 3-16 years olds.
Largest employer in Farato
We are the largest employer in Farato, employing teachers, cooks, carpenters, builders, security, and more.
A water source for the school and community
The well that we built (now solar powered) serves the community beyond the school and helps to grow vegetables in the garden
Supporting teacher training
We have sponsored all our teachers through training college, university, diplomas and further professional development.
Solar panels installed
The solar powered electricity provides light for study time at night for students from the village and enables pupils to attend computer classes and use the internet.
Our family
All our teachers attend workshops and courses within the school but SchoolGambia also sponsors them to develop their knowledge and training through external courses; We pay extra teachers to cover members of staff who are at classes. Nearly all our teachers have worked at the school for over ten years - in some cases 20! The Head teacher, Mr. Demba, refers to his team as "our family".
Join us on a tour of our school
School tour
Built by the local community using local materials, the school has grown up from a plot of empty land. It now houses nursery, lower and upper basic school (children from 3 to 16 years old) running off a renewable energy supply.