Girls Take Action in the Gambia

Community Action Project by Girlguiding Cheshire Forest (UK)

Two Girl Guide leaders from Cheshire (North West England), who had travelled to many countries both privately and through Girlguiding, wanted to set up a project in The Gambia where they could take young people to do community action projects.

There are elements of the programme for Girl Guides about community action, global awareness and international travel, so this was the perfect combination.

Their partnership with the Gunjur Project started in 2014 with a group of 28 older Guides (aged 15-30) who did a variety of peer education training with a local school, and the local Scouts & Guides. They covered topics such as water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), climate change, advocacy and the UN convention on the rights of the child. They also raised money to build a toilet block next to the local medical centre.

A group of 27 returned in 2015, delivering peer education training on WASH, science made fun, backwoods cooking, teamwork and other skills. They also delivered a full day first aid training to 30 local women and provided eye testing for over 70 adults. The group collected over 300 pairs of glasses and 500 bras to be given to those who need them,  distributed malaria nets and raised several thousand pounds towards the new proposed community kitchen.

A new group is returning in April 2017. You can read more about their work in their Blogs:

Team Gambia 2014 Blog | Team Gambia 2015 Blog | Team Gambia 2017 Blog