From Two Teachers to a Thriving Team: How SchoolGambia Transformed a School into a 'Family

Since the charity started supporting this school in 2000, we have expanded from just two unqualified teachers to a dedicated team of 25. Most of our Nursery and Primary team, shown in the photo, have worked in the school for between ten and twenty years. SchoolGambia has played a key role in this transformation by sponsoring most of them through College and University courses, as well as providing full pay for six months of confinement leave.

The team shares a close bond, spending a lot of time together outside of school hours and working closely with each other during school events and in the classroom. Moses, the Head Teacher for the past 13 years, often says, “we are a family.”

Ida (in yellow in the middle) has been working in the Nursery ever since she left school. Over the years, she has developed into a highly creative teacher. Her PE games are innovative and fun, and she uses resources from the environment to teach maths and language. Ida has now been promoted to support her colleagues in these areas.

Alamin Drammeh (red shirt in the front) teaches pupils who need extra help and manages the new Library. Omar Juwareh (black T-shirt in the front) teaches Grade 6, but also takes on the responsibility of maintaining the school environment. He manages the water pump and builds bookshelves for the library, with support from Moses Demba, the headteacher (white cap at the back).

Abibatou Jawo (white dress and blue headscarf) serves as our Deputy Head and manager of the Nursery School. Jamie Sumareh (not in the picture) is set to return to work at the school in September as a co-teacher with Alamin Drammeh. SchoolGambia has been sponsoring her to qualify as a Primary teacher. Jamie was a pupil at the school when the charity first started.

Isatou Jallow (in red on the far right) is our bursar and, like Jamie, was also a pupil at the school from the very beginning.