Pageant News 7 October 2009

Pageant has been helping Jurunku Lower Basic School for several years. However, Pageant is not the only organisation helping Jurunku. We recently had an email from Barbara Trenary, who works with the HopeFirst Foundation based in Seattle, USA. They work in The Gambia and in Zimbabwe, helping children in both countries. For further information about the HopeFirst Foundation's activities in The Gambia, see their projects page.

Barbara and some colleagues spent a week in Jurunku last year. One of their party worked with the villagers to install a new solar power system in the school. This has a recharging station for mobile phones, and fees from this help to buy school supplies. On their next visit to Jurunku, the HopeFirst Foundation group will include two engineers, who have designed a pedal powered grain mill which should be five times better than current hand operated mills. Forthcoming projects in Jurunku and other villages include wire fencing for the women’s gardens, treadle pumps for irrigation from the existing wells, bicycles for remote kids to get to school, sewing machines for women to make bed nets and refurbishment of a clinic.
	Tim Johnson from Engineers without Borders  tries out a prototype pedal powered grain mill