Updated
February 5, 2004
Gambia Tourist Support - Reg Charity No 362/2003
Ramadan Starts 27th October
All over the Muslim world, the month of fasting has started.
This test of obedience and self determination is not easy, it also marks
an increase in GTS staff.
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Our aim this year was to have every tourist visit our offices and if nothing else have a drink and a meal with us during their stay as a way of supporting the charity.
To help with this we employed some promoters. It helped, but caused GTS major problems as the promoters passed themselves off as GTS staff and sold their own services to tourists who thought the money was coming to GTS.
The Army and TDA are now stopping all promoters in an attempt to finally remove the bumster element from Kololi.
We hope visitors will join as members, some we hope will provide direct annual sponsorship and some make a one off donation.
This year we have increased our GTS hosts by three, introducing Momodou, Jerreh & Tunko, who will all help Kabs with the increased work of dealing efficiently with the increasing sponsorship numbers.
Comments to GTS
The first few days are the hardest, and in Gambia patience and tempers run on a very short fuse for the first few days, at every turn & on every street corner you see finger wagging and heated exchanges - but everyone knows it is Ramadan tension and after a few days people settle down into the regime.
I find the hardest part is waking early for a cup of warm tea, this has to be completed by 6 am in Gambia at the very latest and from then nothing should be swallowed until sunset, in Gambia that is around 7 in the evening. I find the last hour from 6 to 7 the real test.
But the smell on KingKilliba, a local leaf tea with a slightly sweet sage aroma, heralds the end of fasting, at least at GTS. Its smell is wonderful and the taste is delicious. Drunk slowly the warm team prepares your stomach for food. Normally during that last half hour I prepare a sweet Gambian grapefruit - so sweet it is more like a Jaffa orange. Anyone visitig Gambia at this time of the year should try it, if you like Oranges them I think you will enjoy these sweet grapefruits.
The start of Ramadan this year also marks the start of several New GTS staff, with our new Charity Status we feel it is legitimate to employ promoters, who are now legally entitled to speak to visitors at the hotels and on the streets to tell them about GTS & to explain to them our work in employment projects and educational sponsorship..
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. . Momodou . Jerreh.. & Tunko
GTS has never had more staff (20 plus) - nor more young people being sponsored (225 & rising daily at present), we expect to have 300 plus by the end of the season.
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Front of house and a picture of contentment, Momo's guard dog has found a cool corner in building sand where he can sleep during the heat of the day, a Gambian dogs life.
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