How to Sponsor Education for Children in Need

ARTICLE-GAMBIA 2019

For more than 20 years we have now sponsored schooling for 2 Gambian girls. In 2019 my wife and I got the chance to go down there and meet “our girls”. The school is called Project Ingemann.

Posted July 25, 2023
Ingemann Dahlstrup was a Danish farmer, and he started the project by building a school for his own money and finding sponsors. After his death other sponsors continued his project and it is now under Skagenskolen – another Danish school project
The school is a kindergarten school and starts with age of 3. You can continue your sponsorship when the child starts in normal school, and even during education after school.

We pay about $100 a year for a child to go to school. The entire amount is paid to the family. The money goes to school uniforms, books, etc. When the project leaders go to Gambia every year, they also check that the child has really gone to school and has not had too many absences. A small amount is also left for the family. If there are no sponsors for the family’s other children, too much difference will be made between the family’s children. The people who go to Gambia to pay the money pay for their own airfare and hotel accommodation.

It was really satisfying to see the children and see the difference the project makes for the children in the area. The children and their parents were all very happy.

“Our oldest child” Fatou, has now finished school and her training as a nurse, and we have sponsored her all the way. Tears were lined up in the corners of our eyes when we met her, and we had to go to her parents’ home and say hello. You can feel completely ashamed when you meet their gratitude and at the same time know that the $100 is a manageable amount. I’m just brushing off the halo. We “have” two children and have had up to four at times.

In Gambia, it was difficult to practice street photography. When people see your camera, they turn away. It may have something to do with their faith. The Koran forbids people from having their picture taken. For example, we were at a fish market, and as we walked through the market streets, there were constant warnings through the streets that you should be careful, because now a nasty man with a camera was coming. I don’t know the language, but it was something along those lines that was said.

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