Humanitarian Aid Gambia - NGO A27

The montessori basic school Jacob Maris (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) was cleared last week with united forces.
The school was expecting delivery of new furniture for the classrooms. For the old furniture an excellent destination has been found as it was to be shipped to the lower basic school in Bakadaji in the URD in the Gambia. A parent of one of the pupils had sought contact with the Foundation Humanitarian Aid Gambia. Through the intermediary of this foundation both the Bakadaji and Jacob Maris school has established a good relationship. The internet has provided the children at Jacob Maris with a clear understanding of the situation in the Gambia.

As the celebration of Saint Nickolas was approaching - a time when presents are given in the Netherlands- all the children at Jacob Maris brought toys and cuddly animals to their school to be sent to the children of the Gambia.
On Thursday morning the pupils scrubbed and cleaned the tables and the chairs until they sparkled. Pupils of the upper grades stuck maps and stories about themselves in English on their old tables in order that the pupils in the Gambia  can get to know their Dutch counterparts. Next the 250 tables and chairs, cupboards and desks had to be prepared for transportation.

Fortunately the Jacob Maris school was assisted by the company Robin Good who enlisted the aid of the communications department of ING Bank whose employees were eager to get involved in charitable activities. About 28 employees were present throughout the day. In the morning they gave gym classes to the lower grades, organised craft activities with the inter mediare grades and instruction about plastic money in the upper grades. In the afternoon the ING people and the pupils loaded the furniture in a 40 feet container in the wet snow. The companies Kiddo Jeans, Alpha Foods and Zwanenberg Foods also added clothing, pencils and pens. The transport of the container to the Gambia has been sponsored by the parents of the Jacob Maris school, Maersk, Century Products B.V. and the Henk van Holst Transport.

The school was now empty. The new furniture was due to arrive on Friday afternoon. Therefore the celebration of Saint Nickolas on the morning of 5th December was very special. All the children brought a cushion from home and sat on the floor. Luckily the throne of Saint Nickolas had not been put in the container to the Gambia.

After the weekend the children were surprised to find their styled and coloured furniture. Each has a table with a large drawer. The classes now look more spacious and tidy. Their is an ample room to carry out projects on the floor using the Montessori materials which has also recently been replaced.
The school looks now renewed and is looking to the future.
Thank you Saint Nickolas from the children of Jacob Maris and the Gambia.