So am I sitting on my butt all the time enjoying the Gambian sun and heat?

You probably wander what I have been doing here for the past six months. Having a vacation?! Well, not really. After the swear in March we had so called three month challenge which is to stay at the site for three months without extensive traveling, get situated, improve language skills, get to know community, find work (if did not have one assigned) and if bored - start working. The challenge ended with the week long in-service-training at the end of May with which the trainings officially ended.

I have been posted to work with the Ministry of Agriculture, Soil and Water Management unit. They assist the farmers and rural communities by constructing the dikes around the rice fields to control the water level, building the berms in upland areas to control erosion and building the berms around the villages to divert the water flow. Unfortunately this year there have been problems with funding. No money – no work. Until now I have only visited few sites and did some surveying. However, I was able to locate some other projects and places to work. Our village school (Yundum Lower Basic School) pump broke down in March and since then there has been no water at school. It has been difficult for students and staff. Fortunately we have been approved for grant to build a solar energy powered pump with taps located at different places in the school area. Yay!! I learned about it right on my birthday – the present I was looking forward to! The grant will be provided by USAID through Peace Corps. I hope the construction will be finished before the new school year starts. Insha Allah!  

I also started working with the REFESA, women association, located in Farato. The organization has just started to developing. They do some food processing and batik. We are hoping soon to get electricity for the office and a computer. In addition to food processing we will spend time building capacity, locating the funding, developing programs for other women kafos and etc. However, first step is the ‘kick off’ meeting.

Because of lack of work at my assigned workplace I found another place to work (full time) that needs assistance – NACOFAG, farmers association. REFESA is registered under them. This Monday was my official first day there. I will assist their women associations, youth groups, maybe some grant writing and etc…well soon I hope to learn more about it.

I also continue gardening in my back yard and family’s garden. Just planted some basil, rosemary, sunflower, cherry tree, strawberry tree (!), zucchini, and moringa. I hope to establish small moringa garden and teach/convince my family to add it to meals daily. It is abundant in vitamins and minerals and other good stuff. It is called a miracle tree because of the health benefits and a never-die tree because it is very easy to grow.

Looks like that I will be turning away from the engineering and technical work, which I am very much okay withJ