Thinking that Kabs would be in the UK, (more developments on that) we had arranged to visit May and Amat at her father's house in Finchley, where they are living during their stay in the UK.

May looked radiant - as mothers-to-be so often do and 'junior papermaker' as the baby has been described by May on Radio 4's Home Truths is making it's presence quite visible.

May and Amat have now been in the UK for 5 weeks and have now settled into their temporary home waiting for May's confinement at Barnet Hospital for the expected birth on November 5th.

They expect to travel back to Gambia and the paper mill in early January.

It was great catching up with May and Amat and at last I have pictures from May of the paper project to update the GTS website and can also reveal that there are possible expansion plans for the paper mill as it is fast out growing the little plot they have in Faji Kunda village just outside Serekunda.

. .
Pounding the waste after pressing on felt it is dried, Yama receiving her training cert.

The paper making team

The mill now produces a wide range of hand made paper products from greeting cards to the beautifully bound books that the mill sells to visitors, the proceeds pay the staff that May employs & trains in papermaking and book binding and provides the money to donate around 3000 school exercise books every month to schools around the country.

The beautiful handmade books range from this small one at £4 to an A3 size for wedding albums at £20. Normally only available in The Gambia, May has brought a number with her that she is selling here in the UK - May is also looking at the possibility of running mail order from the Gambia via their own website.

May's father has adventurous children, his eldest son has moved to New Zealand and works for an Outward Bound organisation, May is tackling Africa and his youngest son is a sports coach and trainer, Jim Rooney has no idea where the boys get their adventure sporting interests, but May gets her artistic flair from her mother Suzie.

Since moving to Gambia - May started to developed a deep interest in Islam, the religion of the area and particularly the strength and patience it gave people to cope with the adversity and poverty of West Africa. May has since converted to Islam and like many converts is now devoted to the essence of Islam, the Koran and the teachings of Muhammad (pbuh) and the daily practises.

When I first met May, I was surprised at the prospect that she considered taking on Islam - but with each visit it surprises me less - Genuine Muslims like May and Amat are lovely people and have a great deal in common with genuine Christians. It is easy in Gambia to assume that people are more honest, loyal and genuine, even more religious because they are so obviously, washing or praying in the street, at home or at the Mosque on Fridays, but this is simply not the case - even though it gives that impression.

There is a move away from Islam among some of the young in Gambia and sadly the effects are bad almost without exception. Genuine Muslims don't smoke or take drugs, they don't drink alcohol they are quiet and modest. It is too simple to blame the opposite behaviour on them turning their backs on Islam but whether it's that or just the influence of the west on people with no learnt facilities of self control when faced with the money rich west, I don't know.

The affect of the west, is causing great concern in the Muslim world, where loud loutish and lewd behaviour - that has become the norm among so many youngsters in the west, is not seem as an advance to Muslims. I am no longer surprised that May has embraced Islam, now I am surprised that more people haven't.

I have heard Islam described as Christianity without money and certainly the lives I see lived by ordinary Gambians seem much closer to the early Christian values than those in the 21st century west, TRUE it is mainly from necessity - many Gambians dream of having what we have and would willingly exchange their lifestyle for ours - while we go to Gambia and marvel at how young they all look, what unhurried lives they all live - how happy they all are, despite the deprivations.

May and Amat have very little and it is from this basis that they are so very happy, their needs are for the paper mill - so that it can produce handmade paper to sell, so that Gambian schools can have a little of the resouces they need to function effectively. If they have any money over it is to go towards an operation desperately needed by Amat's younger brother.

Ebou is 15 now but when he was small he got sick and the illness went to his foot which sort of bent at the ankle, at first doctors thought they could do nothing but then after an operation Ebou wore a special shoe which started correcting his foot but as he grew bigger, a bigger corrective shoe was not available and now his foot is so twisted he wears his flip flops the the wrong way up.

Not that it stops Ebou from being one of the brightest and most hard working pupils in his school, maybe it is because of his foot that he is so good academically.

Do you know someone who could help?

No one in Gambia can do anything more to help, but there must be some way of stopping the pain that Ebou has whenever he walks. If you are an Orthopeadic surgeon or know one - please contact GTS and advise if this condition could be helped.

5 Top