A Dutch foundation, ‘Gambia
Speelt Mee’, has donated sets of tables and benches to Aunty Dorricing’s
International Nursery School in Brufut Ghana Town. The handing over ceremony of the furniture
was held at the school’s ground on Monday.
The foundation donated 36 set of tables and benches 24
of which are sponsored by Madam Therese Min, the wife of the initiator Gambia
Speelt Mee, Mr Bert Min. The rest, 12,
was sponsored by A.D.I. Funds for Schools, a UK based charity organisation
established to support Aunty Dorricing’s Nursery School.
Each of the donated tables and benches can be used
by three pupils. Initially, the pupils
of the nursery school used to sit on empty crates and some dilapidated benches
– without tables. 
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the chairperson
of the ceremony, Susana Baiden, said the school teachers and the pupils welcomed
the support as it will contribute to the progress of the school. She noted that the furniture will further
enhance the quality of education being delivered by the school. 
“Now, we are assured that more children will be comfortably
seated to pay attention to lesson,” she stated.
Mrs Baiden told Mr and Mrs Min that the pupils of the
nursery school see them as great providers for putting smiles on their
faces.
The principal of Aunty Dorricing’s International
Nursery School, Mr Alexander Mensah, stressed that he is so pleased to receive
the furniture because the pupils have not been sitting on good furniture for
the past four years. “So I am really
honoured by this gesture,” he said.
The school started operations in 2009/2010 academic
year and since then none of the six classrooms in the school have good seats.
The school principal said, before now, the pupils
used to sit on empty crates. Then the
school later got some carpenters to help with some temporary benches but even
those benches are dilapidated now.
“So when Bert visited the school during the last
academic year to install the playgrounds equipments – three swings - he was
touched to see the children sitting on empty crates to attend lesson,” Mr
Mensah said. “This is why when he went
back to Holland, he talked to his wife to see what they can do and thank God
the wife decided to sponsor the school with some tables and benches through the
foundation – Gambia Speelt Mee.”
Bert Min, initiator of Gambia Speelt Mee, said he is
very pleased that his foundation is helping the pupils with the essentials that
they need to attend lesson comfortably.
He said initially, he donated the school and other
schools with playground equipment because he did not know that the pupils do
not even have the essentials classroom furniture.
