When we arrived in The Gambia on November 18 we were so looking forward at last to viewing the completed goalball court. It was virtually two years to the day that we had received an invitation from Tony Wright, then the MP for Great Yarmouth, to attend a reception hosted by the UK Parliamentary Football Club at Portcullis House in London. At that reception we received on behalf of what was then the Friends of GOVI (now the Friends of Visually Impaired Children in the Gambia) a cheque to help develop sports facilities for disabled children in Africa.

We knew that the staff of the GOVI Resource Centre had dreamt of having a purpose-built goalball court to paralympics standard so as to provide a safe environment for the children at the school to play football. A request was submitted to the GOVI Board but it took a year to obtain their permission to build it and work could only commence if we paid an administrative fee. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Gambian representative, Lamin Saidy, the court was built and it was a wonderful surprise to see that this difficult project had been completed to such a high standard.

The handing over ceremony was discussed with the committee organising the World Disability Day (December 3) and the VSO worker coordinating the various groups representing disabled people in the Gambia. It was decided that the march on that day should finish at the GOVI school even though it was a lengthy one given the high temperatures at the time.

As normally refreshments would be served after the speeches it was agreed that the Goal Ball court handing over ceremony would form part of the programme if we paid for all the refreshments, the marquee and the sound system. The head teacher at the GOVI Resource Centre School, Ali Sallah, came up trumps by finding ladies from his neighbourhood who were willing to make over 200 meat pies. Everyone who sampled them agreed that the pies were “delicious”.

The handing over ceremony to the GOVI Resource Centre School was very successful and there was good coverage by Gambian Television, nearly all the newspapers and radio stations. But we were sad that the British High Commission did not send a representative.Below: Joan Feller helping to open the gate to the goalball court during the handing over ceremony.

Above: Some graduates of the GOVI Resource Centre School taking part in an exhibition goalball match during the handing over ceremony. They wear goggles to protect their eyes, and this also means that all participants cannot see the ball or the court. Instead they have to feel and listen. This is the first goalball court in The Gambia.

During the proceedings Lamin Saidy handed over to the school, on behalf of Mike and Jacquie Wootin, several much needed tape recorders, batteries, tapes and musical instruments. The Wootins had visited the school earlier.

We found that the school was in good condition with very little maintenance required. It did, however, need a thorough clean especially the toilet block. This apparently was because the previous caretaker had left and the newly appointed caretaker had as yet received no wages. So from charity funds we gave him a week’s wages which enabled him to buy some rice for his family and meant that the site and the school were clean for the handing over ceremony.

We were able to visit some of the schools where the integrated children were being educated. We were impressed by the enthusiasm and high standards set by the head teachers to integrate blind and visually impaired children. At one school we saw that a blind child did not have a tape recorder and Lamin promised to return as soon as possible with one that had recently been donated.

Before we left the Gambia prices were agreed for: the annual supply of uniforms for all pupils, plus shoes, socks and badges; the breakfast feeding programme at only a slight increase in cost; and the provision of other necessary consumables. Our thanks to all our donors who make this possible. In all it was a busy but successful visit.

On our return we found that Nicky Serle of the West of England College had sent a wonderful full set (59 volumes) of the Oxford Children’s Encyclopaedia in Braille. These Joan re-packed so that they could be sent free of charge by post to the GOVI Resource Centre school.

Phil and Joan Feller

When they visited the school Phil and Joan saw that construction work had begun to transform an old building into a new office for GOVI. It is providing support for a three year project aimed at integrating 800 visually impaired children into mainstream education as it is the local implementing partner for the Integrated Education Programme launched by the Irish charity, Children in Crossfire, in October. This programme which has £400,000 funding from the British Department of International Development includes training 240 teachers in 150 schools in six regions of the Gambia so that they will have the skills to work with visually impaired and blind children. David Pointon had dreamt for many years of seeing such a programme get under way as so many blind and visually impaired children in the Gambia were unable to reach the GOVI Resource Centre school.

After the overland journey in November he met with the Fellers in the Gambia and it was agreed that he would hand over as chairman of the charity to Phil. The Fellers have continued to oversee the financial support for the breakfast and daily living skills programmes at the school as well as the provision of uniforms, shoes and other items for the students.

David and Ken were able to deliver supplies to Rug Aid and these are now being used as that project expands after having a very successful stand at the Trade Fair. Pip Land and David introduced Heather Ritchie of Rug Aid to GOVI in 2007 and it has been very encouraging to see how that project as progressed.