GTS has taken on one of the young people that have been sponsored through us. Edrissa Gassama was sponsored by the mother of original members Harold and Esther Shortt, but is now sponsored for his final year by GTS members, Tony and Helen Murtagh.

Edrissa started working for GTS as a researcher, in January 2002.

Edrissa, would like to become a journalist and sees this as an ideal opportunity to practise many of the skills he will need in the future. It is increasing his confidence to meet people and ask the right questions to get information that might be useful to our members.

He has found that many people he contacts have already heard of GTS and are very keen to offer GTS members discounts.

We hope that when Edrissa finishes his examinations this summer, he might continue to work for us and maybe become a fulltime GTS host.

Subject to funding, we hope to establish our 'safe house' and GTS members centre and library in Brufut and now have outline plans to start our own school in a nearby village. We hope these projects will provide additional job opportunities for some of the other youngsters we currently sponsor as well as helping more unemployed Gambians to escape the poverty trap that blights this country.

In a recent interview with Radio Shropshire, I was asked if Gambians really wanted to work. While setting up Dardeema (our new restaurant project) over 150 hopeful Gambians applied for work.

Charity handouts make people feel good, but only real employment achieves the chance of sustainable improvement in peoples lives.