The rise in the cost of food throughout the world is affecting the feeding programme at the school.

The cost of rice and cooking oil in the Gambia rose by about 35 per cent between December 2007 and May 2008. The exchange rate between the Dalasi and Sterling has also fallen so the money we send from England buys less.

In March and April the GOVI board had quite a succession of Trustees visiting them. David Pointon arrived first having driven overland with Ken Nicholas. Then Don Newbold arrived followed by Joan and Phil Feller.

They found that Lamin Saidy, the Friends of GOVI’s Gambian representative, had been working hard to complete several tasks which would add to the improvement of facilities for the pupils and staff. Various concerns were discussed with the GOVI Board.

The chicken/egg rearing project will be postponed as the feeding project is our major concern. The car boot sales run by Joan Feller continue to be a vital source of income for the feeding programme.

When not at or sorting items for the car boot sales Joan is busy cataloguing and repacking nearly a thousand tapes to send to the school.

These Talking books for the Blind were kindly donated by The West of England College at Exeter. Bedfordshire Council recently informed us that it would soon send to us a quantity of large print and Braille books. These will also need to be repacked and forwarded to the school. We are very grateful to both for considering the pupils of the GOVI Resource Centre.

Phillip Feller
April 2008