Background

Bakalarr Basic Cycle School, in the North Bank Region, serves five local villages. Like most rural schools in The Gambia, Bakalarr BCS has always had a vegetable plot, using it to produce food and as a teaching aid in science and agriculture. The gardens became much more productive after the school boundary wall was built, giving protection from wandering animals.

These photos were all taken in February 2003. There are vegetable gardens at Bakalarr village, as well as at the school. We also include photos of gardens at Bakau New Town and Sinchu Baliya schools. In general, those gardens with the most available water have done better. Bakalarr school has the least water, but Bakalarr village has more, with several small wells. About 100 women work in the Bakalarr village gardens. Sinchu Baliya has done very well with their garden. The parsley was a big surprise to them - they had never seen it before!