Since January 2011 we have been running the Sunrise Centre at Bakoteh on behalf of the Bakoteh Community Development Committee, this needs significant effort and resources to ensure long term success.

However, the sponsorship of individual children has been the basis of GETS’s work in The Gambia since our formation and over 500 children have been provided with an education thanks to the generosity of GETS sponsors. Some have been nominated by  tourists wishing to support a child they have met, some have come to the office to ask for our help. For every new sponsorship application our administrator asks the school for reports upon the child's attendance and progress. Once a sponsorship has been agreed GETS will make the payments to the school each term and report back to the sponsor on the child's progress and well being. Contact us if you would like to sponsor a child you know.

GETS supports children in The Gambia at all levels of education. We can help you support them in the following ways:-

a)   Fees in our Sunrise nursery are deliberately low - £10 a month would go towards supporting our nursery teachers, thus helping not one child but a whole class.

b)  Older children (7+) who have progressed into other schools will need more support, for school fees increase as children progress through the educational system. Fees at individual schools vary greatly, but about £12 a month will support just one 7 year old child during their first year at a Lower Basic School. We hope to start Lower Basic education at Sunrise in September 2012 so that our nursery children can continue to be educated at Sunrise.

c)  We also support older students (15+) in our Skills Training school, studying vocational training to give them a chance to obtain employment and help support their families.   £10 a month would contribute to the cost of supporting the skills teachers thus helping several children.

d)  We also need people to sponsor the running costs of Sunrise, fees and donations for teachers' salaries do not cover the whole costs of maintaining the centre. A regular donation to support Sunrise Centre helps a child just as much as an individual sponsorship.

Please contact Dawn, our sponsorship secretary if you would like more information or download and complete our sponsorship form if you would like to help.

Sponsors automatically become a member of GETS, receive copies of our Newsletters and are invited to attend our AGM which is normally held in August or early September

If you are a UK tax payer please consider gift aiding any donations as this will allow us to claim back the tax on your donation.

List of currently sponsored students and students needing sponsors