Stat Attack

I think it’s high time that I write some introductory information about The Gambia, so that you all have a bit of a better idea as to what life is like out here. According to the United Nations:

The Gambia is ranked 151 out of 169 countries on the Human Development Index

The average per capita income over a year is approximately $400 (about £250).

Poverty is increasing – in 2003 59% were classed as “poor”, living on less than $1 a day. Now 61% live on less than $1 a day.

The mean length of schooling stands at 2.8 years.

25% of women are literate, compared to 48% of men.

65% of the population have access to safe water.

Youth (0-25 years old) makes up approximately 60% of the population. 40% of the youth of working age are unemployed.

As one can see, The Gambia faces many challenges. There is a lot of work to be done to help ensure that Gambians have the same life opportunities and access to education that other nations enjoy. Organisations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have been active in The Gambia for many years, but as one can see the levels of poverty have actually increased under their watch. Policies, such as the setting of a 24% interest rate (as stipulated by the World Bank), have often been seen as misguided, leading to calls from development charities for a re-think.

So what else for this week’s blog entry?

National Volunteering Network – whilst my work is primarily with the Ministry of Education, I’m also starting to become involved with Gambia’s national volunteering network (something I should be able to contribute to, having worked with a similar kind of network in Mongolia). The Network is in its infancy, but is hoping to do a variety of things to promote volunteerism in Gambia. The Red Cross, the UN and some small Gambian organisations are aiming to jointly organise an event for International Volunteers’ Day on December the 5^th. Watch this space...

Blackout at the Office - I guess the main thing that characterised this week for me was the five day power cut that we faced in my workplace. As a result, pretty much all work stopped in my department (the work of about 30 people). I do not feel like I should discuss the details of exactly why we’ve had a lack of electricity over the internet, but anyway – this is a good example of some of the problems that a developing country faces. It’s frustrating, but also a good educational experience for me. I just hope that power is back in time for next Monday!

Lots of love and a big hug to you all, take care and have a good week ahead,

Robert