Accommodation

The children sleep in very poor conditions. There are no beds or mattresses to sleep on. They sleep on bare floors spreading light cloths or old mats. The floors are usually cracked or badly broken.

During the winter months the floor is cold and comes with it the risk of catching pneumonia. The living areas do not have doors or windows, no ceilings and cracks in the the walls. During winter when the wind is dry and dusty the children suffer in their houses and outside which makes learning extremely difficult. Providing clean, basic, structurally sound accommodation and beds will be life changing for these children.

Education

There are 142 children enrolled in the village Islamic school. All the children full-board at the school without any cost to their families. The objective is to for every single child as young as four years old to be provided Islamic education and to learn skills which will provide a better quality of life for future generations. The children are of The Gambia, Senegal and Guinea Conakry national and from very poor families.

Shelter

The children require shaded learning areas. As the village is expecting more students to enrol the shaded areas will serve to protect the children from the harsh environment, scorching sun and heavy rainfall. During the rain season the students find it very difficult to attend lessons due to wet ground together with wind and dust. Shaded learning areas will provide a conducive and protective environment for learning during the day and night in all weathers.

Food

Food is a daily challenge for the people of TAIBA NYASSEN since the establishment of the village. The village scholar is responsible for feeding villagers with the help of donors who provide rice and cash to support the feeding programme. The village has fertile farmland used to cultivate staple Millett (Coos) crop during the rainy season. This harvest is used to provide staple food everyday. This is eaten for breakfast and dinner. Rice is eaten once a day for lunch due to the high cost and reliance on donations.

Water

Access to safe drinking water is a massive challenge today for the villagers. The only hand pump in the village has been out of action for over two years. Several repairs have been attempted without success. The women and girls from the village walk long distances to fetch water every single day. According to one of the teachers, children seldom take baths or attend to other basic hygiene needs. A clean and reliable water source is urgently required to provide the villagers with this basic human need.

Clothing

The children wear torn clothes, their families cannot afford new or second hand clothes.

Our aim is to provide the children with simple clothes to provide dignity and protection, a basic universal human need.