In March Ken Nicholas and David Pointon spent a further week in the Gambia. Ken is an ambulance technician who is based at Bainbridge in Wensleydale. His main task that week was to run driver-training sessions for the school bus drivers, Jim and Samba.

Pictured from left: Ken Nicholas, Samba (Govi driver), Majabou (translator), and Jim (Govi driver).

The tuition included the instigation of daily vehicle checks, the smooth use of the vehicle controls, learning observation skills, defensive driving techniques, advance planning for junctions and potential hazards plus proper positioning to indicate their intended action and to enable other road users to see them.

Ken reported that after guidance both drivers were able to drive much more smoothly and safely. He hoped this would lead to a more comfortable ride for the blind children and also ensure lower maintenance costs and less accidents. Both drivers said that they had learned a lot from the experience and were keen to practise and improve their new skills.

A system of recording the vehicle mileages was put in place so that the varied uses of both minibuses along with the newly acquired motorbikes can be determined.

Two motorbikes were bought by the Friends of Govi in March and given to Govi, to be used by the itinerant (peripatetic) teachers so that they could more easily and efficiently assist the students who have been integrated into government schools having completed their studies at the Govi Resource Centre.

Pip Land
March 2007