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This page started as a news item, but we have
now given 7 year old Oliver his own page to tell the full story of
his efforts to help children in The Gambia.
Oliver's pen & pencil collection for
Gambian children
(original news item
30 August 2007)
A young Welsh schoolboy called Oliver was so
moved by seeing African children with no pens or pencils that he
decided to make a special collection for them. His mother emailed us
to say "my 7 year old son has been learning about children in Africa
and India who are living in poverty. He came home and told me "that
the children there did not have any pens and did not go to school"
like himself. He has been very upset since and has asked if he could
collect pens and donate them to children less fortunate. He has
approached his headmaster who has agreed for him to collect pens in
school. Can you advise me on who would be interested in receiving a
shoe box full of pens."
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His head teacher was very supportive, as
was the local church, and we have just received a very large
parcel containing over 1,350 pens and pencils collected by
Oliver during his 'campaign'. The photograph shows the assembled
goodies after they had been unpacked and sorted, ready for
sending to Gambian schools next term.
Oliver has also decided he would like to
have a Gambian penfriend, so we will be taking his first letter
to Abdoulie and a large batch of the pens and pencils to his
school when we visit The Gambia in October. The rest will be
packed in a container with school furniture, scout tents and
other items that we will be sending out next month, their
arrival timed (we hope!) to coincide with our visit. |
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some of Oliver's pens and pencils |
We are taking this opportunity to say a
public 'Thank you' to Oliver for his kindness in making this
collection, and we hope that his letter to Abdoulie is the start of
a long and happy friendship.
Oliver's pens and pencils were included in
the shipment which Pageant sent to The Gambia in September 2007. (see
news item)
Update November 2007
In October 2007, Pippa and Ian visited
Albion Lower Basic School in Banjul, where Abdoulie is a pupil.
Abdoulie was so pleased to hear from Oliver. Pippa and Ian gave him
Oliver's letter and a big batch of pencils for his class. Abdoulie
wanted to write a letter in reply right then, but as time was short,
his teacher wrote it for him this time.
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Abdoulie |
Abdoulie's teacher with
Oliver's letter |
Abdoulie's letter to
Oliver |
A few days later the big shipment arrived,
so Pippa and Ian delivered Oliver's large decorated box of pens and
pencils for the whole school.
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Binta (Abdoulie's twin
sister) & Abdoulie
with the first lot of pencils |
the teacher showing
Oliver's
decorated box to the class |
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the children of
Abdoulie's class |
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This picture shows
Abdoulie (right), his twin sister Binta (left) and his little
cousin Fatoumatta (centre). They are all sponsored by Pageant
members, so they are lucky and go to school.
Pippa sent all these
pictures to Oliver, who took them to his school, His classmates
loved them. Oliver is now hoping that his class will help him
make a Christmas card for Abdoulie's school. |
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