Tag Archives: youth project

Only one day left in The Gambia

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Time is flying fast in The Gambia. It seems only yesterday that the first recordings for the Global Youth Video Project started and now three weeks later the project’s time in The Gambia is quickly coming to a close.

The weather here has changed slightly since first arriving. We now tend to have one cooler day followed by one burning hot day. There have been a few storms and heavy showers, but I have been assured that by the end of the month they will have stopped and not another drop will be seen until July. Unfortunately, that means that the luscious greens that are everywhere around will also disappear.

This last week has seen the completion of some of the videos made by young people in and around the area of Gunjur. They are all extremely interesting and my thanks go out to all the young people who have taken part and to Sifoe Senior Secondary School and the Gunjur Project for helping me to meet and work with these young people.

Today is my last day in The Gambia and it has been a wonderful experience that I will never forget. If you are wondering about going on holiday to Africa away from the main tourist areas you would be lucky to stay in a place like this. The Gambia has so many things to offer. I have talked to some other people staying here and we all agreed that before we left our home countries we were worried about coming to The Gambia because of safety or because of being hassled. The reality is completely different. I feel safer here than in the UK. Yes, you do get some attention if you are a white female and go out on your own but nothing that you don’t get in England and on the main people will just say hello and ask you how you are. Everyone is friendly and will do their best to help and the children are amazing. I have learned so much from my stay here and the only reason I am leaving is because of the new adventures ahead of me. Although I must say that my trip to Senegal on a dug out canoe will take some beating.

 

Global Youth Video Project starts in Africa

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27th September 2011

The first students entered the room we were waiting in, to take part in the Global Youth Video Project. Alagi and I were met by smiles and handshakes, Alagi notably popular amongst the young students at Sifoe Senior Secondary School. As the room filled up with students we discussed the start of the Global Youth Video Project, the young people choosing two focus groups to make different videos about their culture and their lives. The young people were all polite and welcoming, no mean feat in temperatures soaring above 40°c. It was so hot that even the vultures, that circle the skies here, seemed to be sweating.

After introducing the Global Youth Video Project, and setting the next meeting time, we drove back to the Gunjur to buy a local Gamcell SIM card for 50 Dalasi  (D) including 50D of credit – texts to the UK costing 3D. From there we headed back to the fishing village to visit the Kajabang Community Nursery, in the now blistering, midday heat. When getting out of the car I was met by many tiny hands all wanting to play energetically. I gladly obliged,quickly realising just how hard it is to play in 40°c.

Leaving the Nursery we headed towards the beach, buying small bags of water to quench our thirst. I became glad that my induction was steadily paced, allowing for a period of acclimatisation.

[When volunteering in substantially hotter climates I would advise you to take your first few days steady whilst you acclimatise.]

Returning to the project, tiredness due to the heat became my main opposition and I struggled to stay awake through my lunch. I finally gave in and slept through most of the afternoon. When I woke I took an early evening walk with Omar into the fishing village and along the sands where we were joined by hundreds of crabs scuttling sideways to avoid our footsteps. The cloudy sunset then sealed the end of my second day and the first Global Youth Video Project session.

Welcome to the Global Youth Video Project!

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This is an interactive project that is travelling the world to capture the thoughts and dreams of young people to share them with you.

Ever wondered what young people think in different countries? If we’re all the same or if some of us share the same dreams? Ever wondered if the things you do in your life affect young people living thousands of miles away? Well here’s your chance to find out. This project is collecting the voices of young people across the world and putting them on video. You can hear the thoughts and ideas of other young people in places such as The Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Malaysia, Thailand, England and New Zealand to name only a few.

If you’re a youth worker, teacher or professional working with young people, there will be a resource page in 2012 that you can use to explore international issues and global citizenship, for now you can go to our youth worker section to find out more about the project.

You can also follow the progress of the project here on the blog page where you can learn more about the places visited. There are also hints and tips for those of you who want to travel!

Enjoy your viewing and keep checking this out for new videos.