The Family Strengthening Programme of SOS Children's Villages The Gambia organised its first Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) holiday camp in Bajagarr.

The programme, which ran from the 5th to 7th of April 2007, brought together 129 orphans and vulnerable children from Bajagarr and the surrounding communities. They assembled together for a very special event organised by the Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) of SOS Children's Villages, The Gambia, in collaboration with the child welfare committee of the area and the children’’ care-givers. The three-day holiday camp gathered children ranging from 5 to 18 years at the village community multi-purpose centre.

One of the successfully achieved objectives was to bring together all the orphans and vulnerable children on the FSP, so that they can get to know one another and know that they are not alone in their situation. But having fun was top on the agenda.

Several sportive, creative and fun activities were organised according to the different age groups (among others: paper crown making, drawing and painting, bag races, musical chairs, races, football matches, among others) and, by participating or winning, children were given tickets to select their prizes. The gathering was also a good opportunity to sensitize the older children on various issues and help them form a children’s committee, to get them to participate in decisions affecting them.

In the evenings, all were dancing and singing. Care-givers and mothers greatly contributed to the whole event by cooking the three meals per day and supervising the children at night (all slept in the multi-purpose centre). The total cost of the three day event (food, materials needed for activities, gifts and logistics) amounted to 50,000 GMD, of which 10,000 GMD was donated by the British High Commission in The Gambia and another 10,000 GMD by Mr. and Mrs. Jovien, a retired French couple.

The event was a great success and a memorable experience for all the participants. The Family Strengthening Programme of SOS Children's Villages, The Gambia, supports 129 families (a total of 340 orphans and vulnerable children) in reaching self-reliance. Various areas of the Western Region have already planned to organise similar holiday camps for all the children on the programme in the near future.