Simon Wezel with some equipment for The Gambia

Kingfisher Trust, a charitable organisation working in The Gambia, has decided to expand its operation across the country.

Their decision was reached last Saturday at Manjai Kunda, where Simon Wezel the Trust liaison officer and organising secretray and school heads were selected some 14 primary schools for this year's programme.

Mr. Wezel said that his Trust would continue to assist The Gambia in its move to develop education and health sectors amongst others. He further explained that "Economies of the western world has gone too fast and left The Gambia behind. That is why The Gambia, a peaceful nation, should be assisted for the people really appreciated help."

Turning to other African countries, especially Rwanda where a lot of help is now sent to, Mr. Wezel said that he would not send a butut or advise anyone to send help to that war-torn country. He said that the Rwandan problem was self-inflicted and that since they could not come to terms to end their war, help should be directed to people and countries where there was peace.

Mustapha Dibba, headmaster Gunjur Primary School, said that the Trust's decision to expand its activities in the rural areas was indeed a welcoming idea. Mr. Dibba added that some of the schools in those areas had no assistance apart from that of the central government and that they were not fortunate like those assisted by other NGOs.

Batch Jallow, headmaster of Brikama Primary School, added that the 14 schools selected for the Trust's programme were those that were

in dare need of help. Some of these schools, Mr. Jallow said, are situated in areas where communication is rather poor.

Meanwhile, the schools in the list are all in the MacCarthy Island Division and the Upper River Division. The Trust intends to provide books, pencils, pens, chairs, tables as it had been doing during the past 10 years. The Trust has also been active in sending equipment to Bansang Hospital and it has now planned to help Niamina Jessadi upgrade its clinic.

The meeting was also

attended by Bakary Jobarteh of ActionAid The Gambia, Kitab Ceesay, headmaster of Mohammedan Primary School and Samba LawCeesay, representing Seyfo Samba Ceesay of Niamina.

- S.B. Danso