Three pounds will buy a locally made mosquito net.

This will help prevent the death of many children. Up to 25%

of children's lives can be saved by sleeping under a net.

Malaria kills over a million people a year. 90% of malaria occurs in Africa.

Doesn't that sound like an exciting present?

But one bag of cement makes 35 hand made blocks about the size of a breeze block.

That also gives employment to local people and the blocks go towards the construction of nursery schools,

toilet blocks and building a wall around the schools for the safety of the children

For many children this is the first meal of the day.

A child learns more easily when well fed and healthy.

A much needed snack for a year - for less than it costs for one take-away.

Many educational books cannot be bought in The Gambia.

We need to buy basic books on colour, shape, number, opposites, alphabet books etc so that they can be used as visual aids for the children.

Many nursery schools have no books or equipment at all.

We would like to change that

A nursery school place for a 3 - 7 year old child can be ensured for this ammount.

It gives a youngster a flying start in life.

Many children do not attend nursery school because parents just cannot afford the cost.

The average wage is £30 per month and a bag of rice costs approx £25

to feed the family for a month.

Many children in The Gambia are still not going to school.

This includes school fees for a year, two uniforms (one on and one in the wash!).

A much needed mosquito net (we prefer to keep our children healthy).

That works out at under 50p per week to give a child the gift of education.

All children have the right of education.

Shine-Africa is trying to ensure that as many children as possible have a good start in life.

This work out less than £1 a week

Nursery School Teachers wages are not paid by the government.

They are paid for out of parents contributions, but many families find it difficult to afford Such is the dedication of many teachers; they work for less than a bag of rice

Many Nursery School Teachers give up their school holidays

(8 weeks in August/September, 3 weeks at Christmas and 3 weeks at Easter)

so they can train to become fully qualified teachers. The college course lasts for 3 years.

Finding the money for each year is a struggle for many of them.

Email glynn@shineafricathegambia.org

Reg. Charity Number 1103463