COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

AREAS OF IMPLEMENTATION

In Mbolo we see development as a shared process. Our basis for action is the analysis of the demands and necessities of the community, taking into account all the factors involved, in order to offer effective solutions that will improve the quality of life of the population.

Within this area we have developed the following projects:

– Improving the quality of life of women in Tujereng: building a grain mill, with the collaboration of SanchabaKambengKafo (local women).

– Construction of a supply point for drinking water and watering for the crop in Giracumu community (Cassamance, Senegal).

– Enabling a water point with renewable solar energy for the district of Jamissa of Brikama, (Gambia).

– Generating community development alternatives to empower women against FGM in the Gambia.

– Microcrèdits.

HEALTH

One of our main priorities is to promote health both in the community and at an individual level.

We want to contribute by increasing the medical resources, materials, and professional staff available by providing medical supplies and training for health professionals so that they promote healthy habits and hence prevent future illnesses. A person in an economically disadvantaged situation gets sick more often and the illness causes further economic disadvantages. We therefore act to stop this vicious cycle by implementing the following projects:

– Shipping and distribution of sanitary and pharmaceutical materials for hospitals in Gambia.

– Professional Development Program for the Hospital of Bansang and provision of necessary medical resources.

We believe that health education, awareness and prevention are essential in improving the quality of life in the local communities. We contribute to this goal with the following programs:

– Creating a song for the Spanish Red Cross to educate in the prevention of malaria in Mozambique, Tanzania and Guinea.

– Generating economic alternatives and providing health education for women who have undergone female genital mutilation and are most likely to practice it to their daughters.

– Weekly health prevention workshop in the occupational center of Fandema.

– History and clinical follow-ups for the beneficiaries of the occupational center of Fandema.

– Weekly yoga workshop in the occupational center of Fandema.

– Postural health intensive course in the occupational center of Fandema (three editions).

EDUCATION

Education is essential to having a sustainable development in the community. We want to educate people in becoming responsible, active, creative, and committed to the growth of their communities.

To make this education accessible, we collaborate through:

Donation of materials

– Aaccess to new technology and informatics in educational centers (Darsilami and Bottrop High School).
– Shipping of educational support materials to schools and institutes of Gambia.

Education and training for professionals:

– Reinforcement program in Bansang Hospital
– Course: Cooperation in development and growth
– Training workshops in the use of Office program
– TWorkshop in Business Management
– Workshop in microcredits
– Preparation course for trainers, specializing in time management
– Course in project cycle management

Activities and trainings organized for communities
We focus our main educational action in Fandema (training and employment center for women in Tujereng)

Basic Education:

– Literacy (2 levels )
– English (3 levels)
– Computer (2 levels)

Vocational training:

– Training in ecological farming
– Sewing
– Tie-dye (African prints on fabrics)
– Arts and Crafts
– Cosmetics
– Design Workshop for students in sewing and arts and crafts, within the project The Big Idea.
– Course for trainers (training in English, informatics, social skills, educational methodology for the first students in Fandema, who will be the future trainers for the new generations of beneficiaries).

FCross Training:

– Weekly workshop in business management and entrepreneurship
– Weekly workshop in development and intercultural issues
– Weekly workshop in health and prevention

ENVIRONMENT AND RENEWABLE RESOURCES

The availability and access to energy has a direct impact on the population’s quality of life. Clean and reliable energy resources become a necessity in a community that is completely dependent on fossil fuels and has irregular and unreliable access to electricity. At Mbolo, we strongly believe in renewable energy for sustainable constructions so that the traditional materials used are recovered and at the same time the dependency on imported and less sustainable fuels is reduced.

We work in:

– Enabling a water point with photovoltaic energy in the Jamissa district of Brikama, (Gambia) , 2008.
– Ecological construction and recovery of traditional material in the occupational Fandema building.
– Installing photovoltaic plaques in the Fandema building to provide electricity and water pumping.
– Workshop on waste management.
– Workshop on self- composting.
– GEF UNIDO

TURISME RESPONSABLE

A Mbolo apostem pel turisme responsable, entès com el respecte cap a les comunitats, la cultura i el medi ambient del país que es visita.

Volem fomentar l’intercanvi entre els viatgers i les comunitats d’acollida, fent-los participar en el dia a dia del poble africà d’una manera respectuosa i alhora apropant el contacte amb altres cultures a la població local a través de Sambou Kunda.