Nubian Society, a fundraising group based in London, England, last Wednesday presented a cheque amounting to one hundred and nine thousand, seven hundred and five dalasis (D109,705) to Wellingara Lower Basic School, at a presentation ceremony held at the school.

The fund is earmarked to help fence the perimeter of the school. The group has been supported by Jazz Browne, the founder of Integrity Trust, another group that has been supporting the refurbishment of Siffoe Health Post in Kombo South and setting up a sponsorship scheme for over 20 children at Eagles Academy.  Charles Morris, the chairman of the Nubian Society disclosed that 28 members of the group visited The Gambia in 2007 and on one of their trips with the Gambia Experience, they visited the school.

Morris said during those visits, the headmaster of the school expressed a strong desire to help improve the environment of the school and the security of his pupils. “To help the headmaster and the local community to achieve their vision, members of the Nubian Life Resource Centre in London created the Nubian Society to help raise funds for the perimeter fence projects. Today is a day where we are about to see this dream beginning to unfold and some members of the group are currently in the country to make it happen,” he said.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, Malamin Badjie, the headmaster of the school, expressed gratitude to the donors for the generosity which he described as worthy and timely. According to him, since the establishment of the school in 2004, the school has faced a lot of challenges such as protection of their plants and pupils, as passers-by use the school as a passageway.

“The first set of plants we planted were all tampered with, and the closeness of the school to the market and the dumpsite  prompted us to seek for assistance to have the school perimeter fence,” he said. Badjie further revealed that with these groups coming to their aid, the condition of the school will soon improve. He commended the group for their tireless efforts and assured them that the funds will be put to good use.