The NGO Mol Beh Taa from Casares establishes a nursery school in Gambia

What seemed like a dream just over two years ago has become a reality thanks to a family trip to Gambia by ... Momodou Njie, Lorena Pérez, and some friends from Casares: the construction and launch of a Kindergarten for more than 200 children under 7 years old in the town of Douasu.

"In January 2023, a group of friends and I returned from Gambia with our hearts overflowing and the need to do something, to contribute our bit to improve the reality we left behind. We believe that the best tool for transformation and development is Education, and that is why we decided to create the NGO Mol Beh Taa, which means 'from everyone' in the Mandinka language, which is the majority in Gambia, and we focused on the project of building a kindergarten," Lorena Pérez tells SUR excitedly.

They started in October 2023 with the construction in a rural environment where there was no infrastructure, including educational. "We do events, everything necessary to raise funds to carry it out. It's a project of the people," explains Lorena Pérez. In addition to the Casares Town Hall, for which they are very grateful, they also have the support of the La Rinconada Town Hall.

"In Gambia, primary schools start from 7 years old and are managed by the government. Kindergartens are privately initiated and there are many local languages, but the educational system is in English. When they reach primary school, children who have not attended a nursery or a private kindergarten feel lost," Lorena details.

Blas Infante

The school is named Blas Infante because in 2023 this solidarity project received one of the awards promoted by the Casares Town Hall with this name and "since then we have not stopped receiving support, the awards were the push and thanks to them and the love and help of so many people and institutions our project in Gambia is now tangible," thanks Lorena Pérez.

"We also have the kitchen done and we want to create a shaded space, which would be an outdoor dining area, the idea is to start looking for quotes to see how much it would cost to have the cooks hired so that the children have at least 5 days of secure meals," she tells us.

Although the idea of the NGO Mol Beh Taa is to start the 2025-2026 school year at full capacity, some girls and boys are already attending summer classes. There is already one person hired, the teacher Amie, who has started with the little ones in the preparatory classes for schooling starting in September. "She is taking care of the census of children and so far, four classes have been formed," Lorena joyfully details.

There is also a janitor and another person in charge of logistics, sending invoices, contact with Spain, money control, etc. "The plan is to hire 3 more teachers. And we will need cleaning of the school and people to manage the dining hall." Thus, in addition to providing education to minors, the NGO will also provide jobs.

The idea is not only for these children to have a safe place and that there is a school and Education "but also to establish a bridge between Gambia, Casares, and Andalusia, an exchange of cultures, an education project for brotherhood and citizenship that is so needed in these times," concludes Lorena.