Gunjur Development Association (GDA) in partnership with other stake holders in the sprawling coastal settlement staged a community day aimed at showcasing great things that the Southern Kombo have to offer and to celebrate a vibrant community by bringing everyone together.
Below we reproduce a report of activities by the organisers of the the event to express gratitude to sponsors, participants and the organiser alike.
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On 29th February 2020 a community day took place at Kajabang. Gunjur Development Association worked with partners to make this event happen namely Kajabang VDC, The Gunjur Project and Kajabang Sports committee. The event was funded by Multipercussion from Zutphen.
The aim of the day was to showcase the great things that the Southern Kombo have to offer and to celebrate a vibrant community bringing everyone together and having fun!
The event started at 8am with a fun run / walk for health. The turnout was excellent and we were amazed with the amount of organisations that sent between 2-10 representatives to join the event. The end count was 282 people took part in the morning activity. There were also many individuals – here are the organisations that joined
• BodyMax gym
• Tarud
• Gunjur sports Association
• Eco Travel gambia
• Kambie Bolong
• Innovative plastic recyclers
• Football for peace
• Gunjur upper basic school
• G.I.P
• Gunjur Youths for Health
• Jacks Drum Acadamy
• Best choice poultry farm
• Multipercussion – Zutphen
• Kulukochi
• Sebendinto welding workshop
• Red cross
• Fire and rescue service
• Gunjur Athletics club
• Timbuktoo book shop
• Ruth Royle – teacher
• Sarah Adams Teacher
• GEPADG
• Kajabang sports committee
• Kajabang VDC
• Gunjur Project
• Dr Scattred Janneh
• Gunjur festival committee
• Nemasu
• Kartong weekly news
• Frankie Hatab from Foroyaa newspaper
Special thanks to Nemasu Eco Lodge and BoiBoi lodge for being out on the beach at the 10KM and 5KM half way points to give water and encouragement to those involved with the activity. Also a thanks to Brian Bewick who has recently moved to kajabang and helped set up all the health and safety aspects of the morning activity and fitted a toilet for the Kajabang sports field.
After the morning event everyone went over to Kajabang sports field for breakfast and a presentation.
Multipercusssion, an organisation from Zutphen in the Netherlands have been visiting Gunjur Project for 10 years. As well as funding the event they sent over football kits and sports equipment. All of these items were distributed to all those that took part.
Gunjur Youths for Health set up a health screening take and offered blood pressure monitoring, diabetes checking and information for improved health to all those interested.
As the presentations took place local traders set up their stalls and a special thanks to all those that took part in the market day including
• My Farm
• Amies Soaps
• Sues soaps
• Innovative plastic recyclers
• The cotton trail
• Best choice poultry farm
• Mariatou from Snake farm
• Drinks bar
• Juice selling
• Sebendinto welding workshop
A special thanks to Sebendinto welding shop who made strong metal stands for our advertisement boards on the lead up to the event.
Thanks to the Gambia and Dutch business link for the use of their stalls so people could showcase their items.
After breakfast Football For Peace volunteers from Gunjur, Madina Salam, Berrending and Kartong led on activities with the children sharing the football for peace values of respect, trust and team work.
Throughout the afternoon face painting was offered free to all the children and several people sat painting many many faces.
Brendan Ringstead and Lamin Saho worked with around 80 children helping them identify different birds of the Gambia by giving pictures to colour in and word searches to complete. The children were able to look through binoculars and scopes.
At 3.30pm with temperatures of 38 degrees Binta took to the stage and led everyone with a Zumba session – this was a really lively dancing and exercise workout to music which brought a lot of laughter and fun to all involved. A big thanks to Binta who took the time to travel to Gunjur to support the event.
From 4pm – 10pm live music kept everyone very entertained and a big thanks to all the bands involved
• Gunjur scouts
• Roots of Gunjur
• Kombo Sillah
• Balanta band
• Mama Limbo
• Bambadinka
• DJ Mello – played music from morning till night!
Thanks to the Gambia Police for attending and supporting the event.
We are hoping to make the Kajabang fun day an annual event.
Since the event took place last week many people have been asking to make the walk/run for health a weekly event to encourage improvement in health through exercise. There are many countries across the world that take part in ‘Park run’ which is a 5km run that takes place every Saturday 9am – this is something that may be introduced in Gunjur, if you are interested to learn more contact us now.