Tuesday 26 November 2013

23.11.13 Saturday. Jolly Phonics



Mr Sallah, the head at Nemasu had arranged a Jolly Phonics trainer to come in today and train both Naata and Nemasu staff. Mike is going off shopping for supplies for the next 2 weeks when he and Faith will be ‘up country’  Faith wanted to attend the course, so Steve, Kebba, Faith and I piled into the truck along with all the tools for Naata, and set off for a 9am start at Nemasu.  A Gambian 9am start, we arrived at 9.15am and some of the teachers were still missing!  They turned up before 10am.  Faith attended the course whilst Steve, Kebba and I went off to Naata, buying cement on the way.  Everything has gone up this year, cement, the majority of which is imported, has risen from 215 to 250 dalasis per bag.  Anything coming from outside the country (which is most things) has risen by at least one third this year.  Ibraima, the caretaker at Naata and Sanaba were waiting for us and the three of them unloaded the truck and then started mixing the cement required to make the blocks to make the new seating area behind the school. The wheelbarrow bought on Thursday was declared unfit for purpose, too flimsy, so Steve and I set off to take it back.  We went via Denton Bridge as Steve wanted some peanut shells to make compost in the garden.  On reaching the peanut shell area it was obvious that the plastic sacks piled up had degraded in the summer as they were all split and spilling out. So 3 of the peanut ladies, Steve and I spent an hour filling new sacks mostly with our hands, dirty work!  We loaded the truck and set off to change the wheelbarrow, the shop keeper was very nice about it and found a stronger one from a colleague, but again the price has risen.  Next week the container is due, and so now we start the run around with the paperwork required.  The customs declaration is now done online by the shipping company, but they cannot do it without the shipping manifest, which is now due today.  We then have to apply for a duty waiver, but cannot do that without the shipping documents and the customs declaration.  As we are away on Monday, Ousman has offered to go to the shipping company for us, and then on to the Ministry for the duty waiver.  To do this he needs papers from me showing the container number and the list of goods aboard.  We had arranged to meet him at his college which he attends on Saturday mornings.  We got to the college and rang him, only to find that it was break time and they had gone to the book shop to buy books.  Nothing is ever simple here, we set off to the bookstore and found him and handed over the paperwork required.  Then back to Naata with the wheelbarrow, then off to Nemasu to collect Faith.  The training was due to finish at 2pm, but true to form they were just having a break for prayers and then going to start again.  Faith decided to come back with us anyway and have a rest at the house this afternoon, as she had a tummy upset, probably brought on by breakfast at the school.  We are going to wait to see how she is before travelling tomorrow.  A light tea at Timeless, Faith felling better, but we will give it until 8 in the morning before we pack the truck for travelling.

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