There has been a big increase in staff, GTS now runs or administers 2 FREE schools offering 170 places for nursery school children and with all the school staff GTS now has over 40 full time employees, but the success of the Bar & Restaurant is largely the fantastic staff we now have running the place.

The second FREE school is the one GTS and particularly Kabs has been active on for the last year and during my stay that was finished and opened officially.
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GTS obtained its Gambian charity status in 2003 and all the paperwork was delivered in late October - Registration No:362/2003 But it has been signed and sealed in June and held up because we had no approval paper from the Tourist Development Authority.

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In November, the Brodie family, David and Pamela knowing the problems GTS has had with Gambian partners, gave GTS the full use of their compound in Brufut, we know it as Brufut 3. Our first compound was claimed by Lamin K. Ceesay and after 5 years we still await a court case to settle the matter. Our second compound in Brufut still remains in the possession of Foday Suso, he has promised to sign it over to GTS, but has yet to do so.

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It provides a wonderful base for our West African music museum and culture site with mud round houses and the traditional ways things were done.

Members raved about our twice weekly culture nights featuring the Jola group Kabinbang - the peformanc is part music, drama, acrobatics, dance, fire eating and real energy & excitement.

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The car arrived in perfect order from the UK, but had to be converted from RHD to LHD - the process is not one I would recommend, GTS has a working car, just !!!

Sponsorships went well others failed to materialise.

Pateh, who GTS has sponsored through school since he lost his parents started a free university access course in January, after a couple offered to sponsor him through his 7 university years, we are still looking for a sponsor for the costs of accommodation and food that he will require, this year and during his university course.

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The appeal for Ebou, the boy with the totally inverted foot, has so far failed to bring a sponsor to light. It is unlikely that we can improve Ebou's foot, but we hope to raise the money so he can study to become a doctor like Pateh.

Gambia is an emotional rollercoaster - I find myself celebrating small triumphs like the grand opening of the Bakoteh Nursery only to get back to the office and discover Pateh with no where to sleep the night, he shared the office floor with me.

The GTS intention is to earn the money to help the likes of Pateh and Ebou, but as GTS becomes better known as an effective charity by the local people, the demand just outstrips the available resources that we can earn.

Fortunately, I am a total optimist and complete realist, so I anticioate that the money will become available from GTS earnings or from generous donations but if it doesn't, then Pateh and Ebou who represent a minute fraction of the people in Gambia who really need help - will simply have to wait a little longer.

There are far too many people for me to thank by name for their generosity, most would not thank me if I did, some provide pens and paper, some enormous moral support and encouragement by giving their time as volunteers, others give large and small donations, but without that help from every direction, running GTS would be much harder and progress much slower.

If you are visiting Gambia, please join GTS and please use GTS services while you are staying in Gambia - it will cost you no more and provide GTS with the resources it needs to help the Ebous and Patehs of Gambia get the education they need tomake a difference.

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