STAFFORDSHIRE PIRANG PARTNERSHIP

The Staffordshire Pirang Partnership is a locally based community link between Staffordshire and Pirang in The Gambia.

We are committed to empowering the community and helping them flourish, to share funds and resources in order to provide relief from hardship, and social and economic disadvantage. The Staffordshire Pirang Partnership was started by Stone Baptist Church in 2014, now called Church at the Crossing and part of Rising Brook. Through this Partnership the two communities have established a long-term sustainable approach to support the village.

With several programmes running, the 2 communities are working together to build a greater future for local people in Pirang. To make this work sustainable the project requires commitment in various forms so we welcome all of your support.

The Pirang Development Committee (PDC) represent the local community of Pirang, they identify what they consider their needs are, we discuss this on our visits with them and then fundraise for these projects. As a partnership we support the PDC and run several projects in Pirang that benefit the whole community.

Since 2014 a number of visits have taken place to Pirang, most recently in February 2020.

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VISION

Our key aim is to use existing resources within The Gambia community and provide additional support to deliver projects which bring greater benefits to local people in order to achieve a higher quality of life for all. The 3 areas we focus on are: Education, Health and Community.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Partnership-led
Recognition of cultural diversity and multi-tribal sensitivities
Being fair to all
Ensuring local projects are sustainable

THINGS ACHIEVED SO FAR

Provision of medical and educational resources
The Food for Thought programme
Developed high value relationships with key community leaders and workers
Improved the community centre
Enhanced the school environment and health centre
Successful trips in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2020

These projects are all things we continue to invest in.

EDUCATION

Schools

The number of children in government funded education is limited. With an estimated village population of 12,000-15,000, the primary and secondary schools each have 1,000 children regularly attending. Primary school begins at 7 years of age. With building capacity limiting the school to only 500 children at any one time, children attend either mornings or afternoons meaning that each child only receives half of their Primary School education. To benefit from Secondary education children must pass an entry level test. The schools have very limited materials and teachers are resourceful, for example using beans, oranges, and bottle tops for maths activities. The village has 2 tribal languages and children learn and speak English in schools. They learn by repetition using songs and rhymes, and listening to informative teachers. Our involvement includes working alongside the teachers, improving the classroom environment by painting rooms, providing colourful educational posters, and basic classroom resources. They really enjoy our visits and love to share their achievements as we spend time learning together.

Food for Thought Program

The Food for Thought Programme began in 2014, it focused on supporting the Good Shepherd Nursery School by providing the children with a lunch time meal each day. The headteacher is extremely grateful for being able to feed the children in her care. Following the visit in 2017 the Food for Thought program was introduced to the Pirang Nursery School. Through their headteacher it became known that some local families were making a decision between feeding their children or giving them an education, as free education in the Gambia is only provided to those over the age of 7. Teachers observed that some children could not concentrate in class because of being hungry. We know that all children benefit greatly from education, something we believe the children of Pirang deserve to enjoy. By providing a meal, families don’t have to make the decision between early education or feeding their children. Its costs only £5 for us to provide a child with a lunch time meal every school day for a month. Starting their education early goes some way to compensating for the limited time they are able to spend in education once they are 7.

We are committed to sustaining this project. The need for our support grows as there is increasing investment in the schools and they are able to take on more children. The Gambian economy has been affected by Covid-19, impacting the tourism industry which they heavily rely upon for income. This financial compromise has led to an inflation in food costs that we need to account for as we support them with your kind donations.

HEALTH CENTRE

The Pirang Health Centre is the only medical facility for a number of communities in the local area (an estimated population of 12,000-15,000). 1 midwife and 3 part-time nurses provide:

Antenatal advice and support for parents; supplying information and guidance on breastfeeding, hygiene, and nutrition.
Maternity care, delivering babies in the Health Centre
Screening programmes, facilitated by the Hospital (in the City, 40 mins away)
Clinics to weigh children and complete welfare records
Diagnose and treat Malaria
Provide health advice and treatment for conditions, illnesses and injuries that patients present with (like a GP/A&E would in this country)
Issue medication

The Health Centre facility is very basic with no electricity and very limited resources. While the Hospital provide some equipment and consumables there is never enough to meet the demand. The staff are resourceful but struggle to provide the care they wish they could give. They are isolated and don’t receive the practical or well-being support they need.

Our evolving relationship aims to identify their needs and provide support both in relationship building and practically where possible. It is important that the support we give is sustainable. We have secured running water and improved the internal structures of the building to allow for consulting rooms to have closing doors for privacy. We have provided curtains for screens, an ultrasound monitor, thermometers, nursing uniforms, baby clothes, stationary, and cleaning and sanitary supplies.

It is important io invest in time, listening and trying to understand what their greatest needs are for us to continue to support effectively. We are looking to fund toilet facilities, monitoring devices, basic first aid supplies, simple over the counter medication, and surgical equipment.

COMMUNITY CENTRE & SUPPORT

Since 2014 significant work has been carried out to improve the Community Centre which is used for local events. From the original 4 low walls and uneven sandy floor, the development work has reinforced the walls and made them higher and added in a partial roof to provide shade. There is also now a floor and stage, plastered and painted internal walls and the partnership logo painted on the stage wall. While we support and facilitated this part of the project, the Gambians continue to work on the improvements between our visits. On our team trips we join together and work on the project, these trips refresh and encourage their motivation to see the work through.

One of the villagers is keen to encourage and promote sporting activities for the children. These organised activities, specifically football training and tournaments, are of great benefit for all ages involved and those who come together to support as it brings the community together. We have provided team shirts, football boots, and a variety of sporting equipment for this and other activities.

PROJECT MANAGER

Some of the money we raise supports a local man as project manager. He liaises with the PDC, schools, health centre, and ourselves supporting the running of projects. As the voice of the community, he is instrumental in engaging them with ongoing work and ensuring that our involvement and visits run smoothly.

WHAT NEXT?

Increase regular giving for the Food for Thought programme to be fully sustainable
Raise the profile of the Staffordshire Pirang Partnership
Involve people with relevant experience in ongoing development projects
Continue to provide educational and medical resources
Organise future trips

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

We are very grateful for all the support we receive which helps us to honour the projects we have committed to. There are several ways you can help:

Make a financial donation

You can contribute to our general fund or specifically give to the Food for Thought programme, regularly or as a one-off donation.

Click here to donate to the work of the Staffordshire-Pirang Partnership.

CAF take 3.6% of whatever is donated. If you would like to give directly via bank transfer or standing order to avoid this, see the details below:

Account Name: Rising Brook Baptist Church
Sort Code: 30-98-00
Account Number: 00404757
Reference: Gambia/Food for Thought

You can also download and fill in a Gift Aid form and email back to the Finance Team.

Fundraise

We welcome any supporters who wish to take the time and raise funds for the project. If you have an idea of what you would like to do, please get in touch with the team.

Invite someone from Staffordshire-Pirang Partnership as a speaker

We have many stories to tell about our adventures in The Gambia and how lives have been transformed and the challenges that people still face. To invite one of us to talk to your group or to ask more about this please get in touch.