CPW Supports Aspiring Young Student in The Gambia

Following Director John Hauton’s moving trip to The Gambia, where he helped to renovate a school, the Directors at CPW were inspired to do more to help. John saw an opportunity to support an aspiring young student – Joanna – to improve her living situation.

Joanna had achieved incredible exam results, scoring the top result in the whole country for her year group, despite living in very challenging conditions. Until recently, Joanna’s family have been living in one room where water pours through the roof in the rainy season and sharing a bed, with a tiny place outside the room for cooking and washing. The youngest of three siblings, Joanna did all her studying  perched on the end of the bed with a torch while the rest of the family slept.

While she never let the crowded situation at home affect her schoolwork, a new home would have a huge impact on Joanna’s life, giving her the space she needed to study. CPW provided a £2k donation to help Joanna and her family to move to new accommodation with better facilities.

Since the move, Joanna has been thriving at college and is considering Engineering as a future career.

John was introduced to Joanna through his voluntary work with New Life Children’s Centre in The Gambia, a charitable organisation that provides full-time education and healthcare access to the local community around the schools. Joanna entered the nursery at New Life at the age of 3 where they have nurtured her ambition and academic drive.

Director John Hauton said: “Joanna is an incredible young woman, we are so pleased to hear that her family have secured new accommodation with the funding from CPW. She has a brilliant career ahead of her, we wanted to do everything we could to help her and her family succeed. It sounds like Joanna is settling in well at college and we are excited to see how Joanna’s academic journey continues.

“The work that New Life Children’s Centre does in The Gambia is so impactful. They are truly changing lives and raising education standards in the area – almost everyone you speak to has been touched by their work. I really enjoyed my time volunteering with the team and would love to go back and support with more renovation work.

“I’m always so proud to work for a company that values charitable giving so highly. It’s so heartening to see someone who needs help and to have the ability and backing of the company to support them.”

John will be returning to The Gambia in November to support New Life Children’s Centre to build their third school. This new school will be located in Faraba, close to the University of The Gambia’s new campus, and hopes to welcome 1,000 children through its doors once open. Alongside his engineering expertise, John will also be bringing 80 Technical Drawings kits for the students at the two current schools and is even considering taking a lesson!

We at CPW are looking forward to seeing how the new school develops and the students progress. If you would like to support the schools, you can sponsor a child or donate by getting in touch with New Life Children’s Centre.

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Find out more about John’s voluntary work in The Gambia.