The Future - Northampton Trustee Fund

The Future
From 2015 NTF has agreed to take on the
massive task of fully funding the Penyem Day
Care Centre and Nursery School. This will
include paying teacher’s salaries, maintaining
the building and funding the purchase of school
materials. We are looking for additional
sponsorship to help us with this commitment.
NTF has now been working in Penyem for over
10 years. We have come from supplying a
simple football kit to significant building and
renovation projects. Our support has grown
from local Northampton people to a worldwide
following. The main aim is sustainability. We
refuse to take on challenges that we think we
cannot meet or start projects we cannot
complete.
The next few years will be our most challenging
yet. We have put 80% of our time and effort into
Education, and will continue to drive this
forward. However, the main area we will be
working in is the fight against Malaria.
There will be a number of phases to this work.
The first for 2014 was achieved in one month.
Mosquito nets were provided to all the families.
626 in total! The second phase was for 2015, to
replace the old ambulance. This was done by
February 2014. Thirdly, and most challenging, is
to introduce a health programme to provide
medical assistance to protect against malaria.
Northampton
Trustee Fund
A Helping Hand To The Villagers of
Penyem, The Gambia.
This will now start 2 years in advance of its
2016 intended start date!
Every Penny Raised Goes
Directly to The Village of
Penyem
Northampton Trustee Fund is a small charity run by a small, dedicated team of dedicated people. Visit Us At:
www.NorthamptonTrusteeFund.co.uk
Contact NTF:
Andrew & Anne Butler
11 Greenhills Close, Whitehills,
Northampton, NN2 8EN.
01604 461746 / 07812 111187
Helping The Villagers of
Penyem, The Gambia
In April 2004, Andrew and Anne Butler, both
teachers in Northampton, went on holiday to
The Gambia. During their stay they went on a
day trip with a local tourist guide called ‘Ten’.
During the trip they were shown the ‘real
Gambia’. Ten spoke passionately about his
native village, Penyem. Ten coached the village
football team and asked if it was possible for
the Butlers to supply the team with a football kit.
A Helping Hand
The Butlers found that the villagers were keen and
able to improve life in the village but simply needed a
helping hand. The first thing was to guarantee a
small annual income for the Village Development
Committee (VDC). Funding of £500 per annum was
promised, and to be shared between Education,
Health, Vehicle maintenance and Sport. The VDC
would control all the new projects and inform NTF of
the progress.
This was no problem. Andrew went back to his
school and the kit was arranged along with over
150 team shirts from his class! In July he
returned to The Gambia with the gifts, and was
welcomed into the village of Penyem. There he
found happy people, but they were living in very
poor conditions.
The villagers asked if it was possible that funds
could be found to supply the village with an
ambulance. The couple set about fundraising
and in October 2004 an Isuzu Trooper 4x4 was
purchased in the Gambian capital, Banjul.
This was formally presented to the Village
Development Committee in April 2005 and
Northampton Trustee Fund was “born!”
The Projects
The village water system was in desperate need of
repair. NTF worked alongside an American group to
renovate the fresh water system and in 2007 the
water flowed from the taps once more! The village
school was in need of basic materials and repairs to
the simple furniture. Although this is an ongoing
project the school is now a transformed place. The
main project has been Education. The school is well
equipped now with stationery and books. In 2007,
NTF started the Child Sponsorship Programme. For
as little as £45 per year a Penyem child can go to
school for a year. This fee also covers uniforms,
shoes, books, medical and social care.
Currently, 100 children of all ages are now
sponsored. Some are now graduating from school
with qualifications they would probably have not
achieved without our support. Recently, former
students have used their skills to do plumbing and
electrical work within the village.
Soon we hope one student will become a nurse in
the Health Centre. In 2006, the VDC presented a plot
of land to NTF. This has been named Little
Northampton. This land is cultivated to grow maize
which is used to feed the children their breakfast at
school each morning. Families have been provided
with mosquito nets supplied by Imerja Limited, UK.
and Corby Phoenix Rotary Club.
The Village Health Centre has been totally renovated
and equipped, which includes installation of running
water and electricity. A full time doctor is employed,
sponsored by Imerja UK Ltd and an assistant is
sponsored by DJB Labcare. All the school buildings
have been renovated with new roofs and tiled
flooring. In 2012, a new two-classroom extension
was opened at the school.
This was followed a year later by a new toilet and
shower block in the school grounds. In 2012, we also
introduced a sponsorship programme which allowed
the school to appoint and retain quality teaching staff.
Now each teacher has received a 50% annual pay
increase (£10 a month) paid for by donations.
Our team of supporters regularly contribute
equipment and funds to allow us to maintain and
sustain the projects. Without this support we could
not have made such great progress.
www.NorthamptonTrusteeFund.co.uk
Registered UK Charity Number: 1115191
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