Students from Garfield High School’s Technology programme in Seattle, Washington (USA) have been installing computers at Armitage and Nasir Ahmadiyya senior Secondary schools, from February 19 to 28.
This, according to a press release by The Gambia Health Education Liaison Project (GambiaHELP), a non profit organisation with offices in Seattle, Washington (USA) and Sere Kunda in The Gambia, is donating 5,000 books, school supplies, computer equipment and clothing to Gambian schools, The Gambia College, the university of The Gambia and local communities.
GambiaHELP last year donated 25,000 books to Gambian schools. GambiaHELP has been involved in community-based services in health, education and small-scale women’s projects in The Gambia through its founder Ms Shelby Tarutis (a former Peace Corps volunteer in The Gambia) and its country director Sirigereh Baldeh, a press release by the organisation said.
“In conjunction with two Seattle-based non profit organisation, Computers for The World and Emerald City Rotary, GambiaHELP has donated 50 computers to Armitage Senior Secondary School in Janjangbureh and Nasir Ahmadiyya Senior Secondary School in Basse.
“These computers and other peripherals are the first phase of GambiaHELP’s computer project to support the Department of State for Education’s computer literacy programme.”
GambiaHELP acquired these computers through assistance from Rotary International’s Matching Grant Programme and its own fund-raising efforts. The Fajara Rotary club is the Gambian-based partner on this project, the release said.
From February 19 – 28, ten high school students from Garfield High School’s technology programme, Seattle will be installing the computers at Armitage Senior Secondary school and Nasir Ahmadiyya Senior Secondary school. Dick Ryen, a representative from Emerald City Rotary and Kjell Rye, the technology teacher from Garfield High School, will assist them. “We are very fortunate to have this opportunity to engage in a cross-cultural exchange with Gambian Schools and to share our technology skills”, says Garfield High School student Laura Kanter.
“The project’s success will depend on the sustainability and maintenance of the computer Labs. “We will rely heavily on the recipient school heads to see that these computers are well maintained after installation. If these pilot schools are successful, there is the potential for other information and communication technology initiatives”, says the Director of GambiaHELP, Shelby Tarutis.
Have a good day, Gassa.