The Daily Observer (Banjul)
Lama S. Jallow & Fatoumata Ceesay
15 June 2011
Makoy Foundation, a charitable organisation based in the Netherlands Thursday donated various items to the Alhagie Mamour Secca Memorial Nursery and Lower Basic School.
The donated items include 5 complete toilet seats, tiles, 4 bundles of children coats, 4 toilet doors, chairs, 14 cabinet filing sets, 5 blackboards, 2 round tables, 35 small tables, 11 wooden stools (small), 20 wooden toddler chairs, 1 small refrigerator, 3 small blackboards, 8 sunblinds, 9 other chairs for the teachers, 2 boxes of toy bricks, 8 computers, 2 boxes of electrical materials, 30 plastic buckets and 10 buckets of paint, among others.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Ndeye Secca Jallow, the proprietress of the Alhagie Mamour Secca Memorial Nursery and Lower Basic School described the occasion as unique, noting that everyone present was highly impressed by the generosity of the entire membership of Foundation Makoy Gambia. She said: “I wish on behalf of the school management committee, the entire membership of the Parents Teachers Association and all the pupils of both schools; (Nursery & Lower Basic) to extend our very sincere thanks to the donors. To Mr & Mrs Lambro, we say bravo for such a unique initiative.
To the government of The Gambia, we also wish to thank them through the Regional Education director, Region One (1) under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for creating the enabling atmosphere to enhance development and growth.” She then gave a brief history of the school, recalling that it was started by herself and her husband in the academic year 1989/90.
For his part, Momodou M. Jallow, co-proprietor and head of the Alhagie Mamour Secca Memorial Nursery/Lower Basic School, recalled that his wife (the proprietress) assisted by one Mrs Jah were responsible for almost 100 pupils for the whole period of the 1st term of the initial year in 1990/91 academic year. He said that during the 1990-91 academic year, a temporal corrugated iron shed with two rooms was erected and furnished. “The school was given Olympic Prosperity Nursery School. Instead people within the locality renamed it Schooli Ndeye Secca,” he stated.
He also disclosed that a permanent block of three classrooms and an office was erected during the 1992-93 academic year. “From 1996-1997, permission was granted by the Dept. of State for Education to establish a Primary School. From 1998-1999, the name of the school was officially changed to Alhagie Mamour Secca Memorial Nursery/Lower Basic School with effect from 10th March 1999 to mark the 3rd anniversary of his (the late Alhagie Mamour Secca) death,” he further disclosed.
Jallow then thanked every individual and organisation that have generously supported his school both in kind and cash from its inception to date. He also extended special thanks to the major sponsors of the school building project, notably Hon. James Plaskitt, member of Parliament representing the constituency of Warwick and Lamington, UK in the British Parliament, who sponsored the completion of the building as well as the fencing of the school compound. He also commended Dr. Baboucarr Sarr, a Gambian working at the UN Office in Tunisia, who sponsored the entire roof of the school; Ousainou Drammeh, principal SOS Senior Secondary School; the Kanifing Municipal Council for providing all the doors of the classroom; Mayor Samba Faal of Banjul City Council; Adama Deen, former managing director of the Gambia Ports Authority; the Gambian-Swedish Association, through Junaidi Jallow; and The Gambia-Danish Friendship Association, through Mr. Charlie Bruce for their invaluable support to the school.
Morro Krubally, a board member of the Foundation, said the donation came at a time when the school really needs the materials. He thanked the donors for their wonderful gesture and assured that the items will be put into good use. Gnnemiek Lamboo, the sponsor of the Foundation disclosed that the donation is meant to complement the efforts of The Gambia government in the development of the education sector. He further urged the school to make good use of the donated items.
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Makoy Foundation Donates to Alh. Mamour Secca Memorial Nursery