GESO Update January 2001 The Gambia Education Support Organization (GESO) Transition Team is pleased to announce that GESO is now sponsoring a total of fourteen (14) needy students in the Gambia. At the onset, four secondary school students were selected as the first recipients of GESO scholarship. These four students were chosen after a series of interviews and background checks by our GESO Gambia Zonal Coordinators to ensure that help gets to the most needy. Now, in addition to these four secondary students, GESO UK is also currently sponsoring ten (10) more students at Jarumeh Koto Primary School in Sami, Central River Division (CRD). Since its establishment over a year ago, the GESO-UK Branch has undertaken a wide variety of fund-raising events in order to assist needy Gambian students, and to support education services in The Gambia. From July to December 2000, GESO UK has managed to bank £2,500 pounds sterling. Consequently, during August 2000, ten (10) needy Grade 6 students attending Jarumeh Koto Primary School in Sami District, CRD, were identified by the Headmaster and the members of the School's Management Committee for scholarships of £50.00 sterling per annum. These scholarships will enable the ten children to embark on the next phase of their education in Junior Secondary Schools; and dependent on reports from their Secondary schools, the students will continue to receive funding to take them through Junior and Senior Secondary Schooling. Furthermore, GESO-UK is currently considering other ways of supporting Education services for the community in The Gambia. We are receiving suggestions for village/District education projects in areas where there is urgent need. Suggestions have been put forward for the establishment of well-stocked and staffed District Libraries in the provinces; for the establishment of Skills Centres which would target those young people in The Gambia who have not had the benefit of education (especially young women); for specific District support in education more generally. GESO-UK and other GESO branches are keen to make sure that GESO grows from strength to strength so that its goals can be achieved. All of us at GESO are keen to ensure that any money raised is going directly and as quickly as possible, to support those with the greatest need. Our view is that an educated youth will ensure a peaceful, just, and enlightened government in the future. Meanwhile, on behalf of these students and their families, we would like to thank all those who contributed to making GESO successful. The GESO members are also thanked for their generous monthly contributions: some needy children will have an opportunity to continue sitting in a classroom. GESO was established in 1998 after some Gambia-L members expressed the need for an organization to be established to help out education in the Gambia. The Mission is to provide assistance to Gambians and Gambian institutions in education in the Gambia. A vital part of the Organization's mission is to become a medium through which intellectual, logistic and material resources of Gambians and friends of the Gambia can be utilized to improve education in the Gambia. How can you help? 1. Annual membership contributions: US $10 per month for non-student members residing in North America, Europe, Australia New Zealand and Japan. US $2.5 adult members elsewhere including Gambia. US $5 Students in North America, Europe, Australia and Japan. US $1.00 for students elsewhere 2. Dominate to one of the many activities of your choice 3. Volunteer your time in organizing fund raisers, managing GESO's website and other organizational activities. If you need more information about GESO, would like to make a donation or become a member, please do not hesitate to contact the Zone Coordinator nearest you. You can also get more information on the GESO website. This is the GESO web address: http://www.gesor.org GESO UNITED KINGDOM: c/o Ndey Jobarteh E-mail Address: [log in to unmask] OR Ebrima Ceesay E-mail Address: [log in to unmask] GESO DENMARK: c/o Mr. Momodou Camara Charlotte Muncksvej 20.3th DK-2400 Copenhagen NV DENMARK E-mail Address: [log in to unmask] GESO-Denmark Account Reg.nr. 1199 Account Nr. 1-673-2109 BG Bank A/S DK-0800 Høje Taastrup Denmark GESO NORWAY: c/o A. Kabir Njie Lofsrudhogda 13D N-1281 OSLO E-mail Address: [log in to unmask] GESO-Norway ACCOUNT. NR: 0819 2077541. Postbanken c/o Amadou Kabir Njie Lofsrudhøgda 13 D 1281 Oslo Norway GESO NORTH AMERICA: c/o Ms. Jabou Joh 557 Holt Valley Road, Nashville, Tennessee, 37221 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA E-mail Address:[log in to unmask] GESO GAMBIA: c/o P.O Box 2152 Serrekunda THE GAMBIA Emails:[log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] Account NR. 09538 112 103 05069 International Bank for Commerce (Gambia) Ltdv Bakau Branch, 11a Liberation Avenue, P.O Box 211, Banjul The Gambia, West Africa Sincerely, GESO Transition Team ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------