Pageant first visited Jurunku Lower Basic School [MAP] in October 2004. Pageant member Jon Quinnell has undertaken the work of helping this school, and has appointed Lamin Jammeh, a young man from the village of Jurunku, as the local overseer of the projects. Lamin had sent us photographs of the villagers assisting with the first task - re-concreting floors and renovating blackboards in three of the classrooms - and it was very pleasing to see that this was indeed a community project.
 

gravel for making the concrete	everyone lends a hand bringing water
concrete being mixed	a new concrete floor being laid

Pippa and Ian visited Jurunku themselves to see progress at the school. They had taken £100 to the school in October 2004 on Jon's behalf. We found that the bulk of the concrete had been laid on all three floors but that they still required the final screed to be laid. The blackboards had been remade but the painting had not been completed - the paint had been bought and was due to be applied during the following few days.
We met the Chairman of the School PTA Committee, Ebrima Sonko, who is clearly delighted that the school is receiving some assistance and is determined that the best possible use will be made of it. We have found that it is essential to form a good working relationship with the Chairman of any school, particularly in the up-country villages, as he is the person who provides continuity. Headmasters come, may stay a year or two, and then pass on, but the Chairman remains and provides a vital link with the village community served by the school.
 

new concrete floors in some of the classrooms
girls playing rounders using kit provided  by Pageant	The School Chairman & Kemo studying a poster Pippa and Ian took with them
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Jon Quinnell himself (or Jurunku Jon as he is now called!) and his wife Shirley visited the school in March, together with Linda & Doug, some friends they had made at their hotel. It was Jon & Shirley's first visit to Jurunku and they were delighted both with their reception and the way in which the work was being done to improve the school. By the time they arrived the blackboards had all been painted and the floors prepared for screeding. They approved the funding of the completion of the floors and have left enough money to clear the large school garden area of undergrowth and to rotivate it ready for planting.
 

Jon arriving at the school	Jon and party inspecting the work
'Jurunku Jon' talking to the Headmaster	Jon and party meet a traditional dancer