The Gambia Tourist Support had handed over a library building to Bakoteh Proper Lower Basic School and the Community of Bakoteh on February 23, 2005. The gift was the first of its kind in the history of the school. As part of the handing over ceremony, a donation of 100 walking sticks was also made to the Department of Social Welfare.

Speaking at the occasion held at the school grounds, Mr. Francis Gomez, Deputy Mayor for Kanifing Municipal Council, said the handing over of the library was a clear indication that GTS's commitment did not stop at tourism but also extends to educational development. He said education is a tool by which people can claim the ownership of their lives and is something no one can take away.

Mendy also said that, other than health, one of the priorities of government is education. He said this is clearly manifested by the building of numerous schools all over the country. He said KMC, in furtherance of government policy, had also been engaged in educational development in the municipality.

He said that the library would help with the conduct of research into past events dating back to hundreds of years, and also serve as store house of information useful to researchers.

The councillor for Bakoteh ward, Mr. Yusupha Sanyang, told the gathering that GTS had been very supportive to the community. He therefore called on the members of Bakoteh community 'to collaborate with the school to make the best use of the library. He described the library as the store house of knowledge. He said it was therefore part of his plan to have a library in the community "and now GTS have provided one."

Sanyang appealled to the staff and to GTS to help them have a health centre for the community as well as other means of exposing the young people to making things happen and come true.

The Country Director of GTS, Kabarou Jabang also said: "Today marks a major achievement for GTS, Gambia Tourist Support and its members around the whole world. GTS was started in 1997 by Francis Glynn, who is happy to be with us here today for the opening of Bakoteh Community Library."

Jabang said that after months of work in The Gambia, Glynn, GTS International Director, would return to the UK but would be back here by October, "when he hopes the library will be full of students and members of the community." He said GTS had many members and supporters who raise money for individual sponsorship as well as funds for larger educational projects. He said the organisation works hard to promote tourism and helps tourists during the course of their visits in the country. Most of their members, he added, work as volunteers in our schools.

"We would like to thank Helen and Peter Scorer for their amazing fund raising, to help this project become a reality today. Helen was the first working volunteer with GTS and had a placement teaching at this school. Helen loved the times she spent in The Gambia and has returned on many occasions."

Jack & Pauline on the left with friends - hand donation to Kabs after celebration dinner at GTS Restaurant

Jabang disclosed that late last year, Jack and Pauline Smith made a massive donation of funds raised by supporters in the United Kingdom, and this year, Jo Baldwin and Ruth Ledger raised D100,000 for GTS. He said many people in The Gambia had never heard of GTS. Yet it had continued everyday to provide educational support and sustainable employment. He said 450 young people were benefiting from educational support either as sponsored students or as children attending one of the three GTS funded nursery schools one each in Bakoteh, Essau, and London Corner. Moreover, he said the communIty of Youna now had a multi purpose hall sponsored by Lesley Headley and Tim Mawer to help in sport development.

The school's headmistress, Mrs. Fatou Chow, said at the occasion that their relationship with Gambia Tourist Support (GTS) started when the country Director, Kabarou Jabang, came to the school with a friend in 2002.

She said the first help the school received from GTS was a laptop and printer. The building of the library came as a result of an enquiry from GTS on what would be the best help one could render to the school and the reply was a library. Helen, of GTS, then promised to look for sponsors in her home country.

"Now we have the library and I believe that it will help the students in improving their vocabulary and reading skills. She said the teachers in the school would also use the library for research, and ensure its sustainability