Penyem visit 25 years on for many of us!

Yesterday was an AMAZING day! All of us plus several Gambians from The President Award Skills Centre set off to Penyem village.  We had a minibus that Sid organised, the pick up and a car. We travelled about an hour on tarmac roads driving through Brikama.  The market had the same smells as from 25 years ago but it was huge with many many market stalls and obviously a place of much business.
The tarmac road then ran out and we bumped our way along the dusty road to Penyem.  200yds before the village we stopped as the "welcome party" had started!  The drums drummed and the people danced and we " bobbed" our way into the village.  The little children from school met us as well and most of us "Toobabs" had a child holding each finger. This continued for some while as we progressed into the village.  The elder of the village then met us. The dancing then continued and we were given a formal greeting before we had a tour of the village.

The tour was really interesting- we saw the hall where we had our accommodation 25 years ago.  Then it was " Neil's" kitchen which looked remarkably the same.  A eating hall has been developed.  On our way round it was amazing to see the village's development.  They no longer have to collect water from 3km away , they have a few solar panels which power the pump for the water tower and they now have a tap as well as the pump!

The medical centre we built has been improved with the addition of a veranda and the floor had been tiled.  It is now used regularly as a "health post" with a resident retired doctor who is now operational as a nurse. Another room was the Headteacher's office and the school has been built.  It is for 3-8 year olds and 152 children attend from the Penyem and the nearby villages. The classrooms were inspirational with great use of the walls and roof.  They had a lot of artifact up to help the children.  Drawings, numbers, words etc.  Songs and sayings were a big part of their education.....