Featured Scholarship Student: Omar Cham
Omar Cham garnered national attention by earning 8 As on the WASSCE, West African Senior School Certificate Examination, a standardized test used in the five English-speaking West African countries. Growing up in Jokadu, North Bank, in a small farming town on the border with Senegal, Omar walked one and a half hours every day to attend lower basic school. But even before he had started school, Omar’s parents expected their eldest child to achieve scholastic success. His parents, Sulay and Naffy Cham, farm groundnuts and coose (millet) for their livelihood. His enterprising father ran a small bidik (shop) for a few years and then drove the town’s daily auto to the ferry terminal for a few more years. Completing grade 6 in ChissyMaJow, Omar lived with relatives in Kuntair to attend upper basic school and finish grade 9. Moving to Masroor Senior Secondary School for grade 10 through 12, first with a focus on Arts and then on Commerce, Omar promptly caught up with his more advantaged peers in Kombo and graduated with stunning accolades.
At Masroor Senior Secondary School, Omar won several academic awards at graduation: Best Economics Student, Best Agri Science Student, Best Mathematics Student, Overall Best Commerce Student, Best Financial Accounting Student, Best Geography Student, and Best General Science Student. He was Assistant Head Boy, Head of his Class, President of the school’s Commerce Club and an active member of the Human Rights Club. The 8 As Omar scored on the WASSCE broke his school’s record for exam results, held by his teacher who had earned 6 As five years ago. Omar says, “My family is not strong in terms of finance so the KAM Scholarship really plays a very important role in fostering my education. The process was too hard but with the assistance I gained from my teachers, the KAM Scholarship, plus my family, I managed with the system to the full end. As the saying goes ‘Education is backed by finance.’ I therefore give a gigantic thank you to the KAM Scholarship Fund for their financial assistance.” Omar Cham has been a KAM Scholarship Student since 2014. Help Omar attend the University of The Gambia to study economics with a minor in mathematics by donating today. |
Featured Scholarship Student: Malick F. Gai
Malick F. Gai has completed his training at Gambia College in 2019 and is now working as a qualified middle school teacher. As part of his three years of Teacher's College, Malick completed his teaching practical in Ndungu Kebbeh, North Bank in September 2018. He was assigned to teach grade 7 & 8 Environmental Studies, teaching 2 to 4 classes a day along with being a class teacher for grade 7s.
He writes, "Before going to school, I plan my lessons everyday and I plan my scheme of work every two weeks. As time went on, I earned the respect of the principal because of my determination in the school. The first week of November, I was observed by the Gambia College and got a score of 85 (A1). I was also engaged in administrative work helping the Principal in some areas, especially in legible handwriting. So when we were closing, I was presented with some soaps, towel and a little amount of money together with my five mates from College. I was very friendly with the community and built cordial relationships with the people because I visited students during weekends and I also conducted study sessions at night and during weekends."
Congratulations to Malick for his hard work serving his country and scoring the highest possible score (A1) on his teaching practical! Malick has been a KAM Scholarship Student since 2009 and received assistance with photocopying and book costs at Gambia College.
He writes, "Before going to school, I plan my lessons everyday and I plan my scheme of work every two weeks. As time went on, I earned the respect of the principal because of my determination in the school. The first week of November, I was observed by the Gambia College and got a score of 85 (A1). I was also engaged in administrative work helping the Principal in some areas, especially in legible handwriting. So when we were closing, I was presented with some soaps, towel and a little amount of money together with my five mates from College. I was very friendly with the community and built cordial relationships with the people because I visited students during weekends and I also conducted study sessions at night and during weekends."
Congratulations to Malick for his hard work serving his country and scoring the highest possible score (A1) on his teaching practical! Malick has been a KAM Scholarship Student since 2009 and received assistance with photocopying and book costs at Gambia College.
Featuring students hoping for a KAM Scholarship in 2019-2020, this beautiful video was created by Peace Corps volunteers Anna Rains and Harry Dwinell. Help 12 yr olds Kaddy Gaye and Kaddy Ceesay, 13 yr old Sinabou Bittaye, and 14 yr old Sait Ceesay attend school this year by donating today.
Featured Scholarship Student: Ebrima G (turn on closed captions to read what he's saying)
Featured Scholarship Student: Ramata B
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In her own words, Ramata tells us a little about herself. Click play on the YouTube video to the left to hear what she has to say. "My name is Ramata. I'm from Kerr Alhagi Mallik. I'm in grade 9 D, Kuntair School. I need support to complete my school." |
Featured Scholarship Student: Abdou N.
In his own words, Abdou introduces himself and explains why he is pursuing his education. Click play on the YouTube video to the right to hear what he has to say. "My name is Abdou. I live in Kerr Alhagi Mallik. I am 18 years old. I attend my school at Berending Senior Secondary School. My aim is to have more assistance so that I can finish my schooling and have a good job." |
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Featured Scholarship Student: Fatou G.
"Fatou G. is the first woman from Kerr Alhagi Mallik to graduate from high school! Her success is due to her own strength of character and her family's commitment to education, as well as timely financial support from this fund. Fatou had the savvy and maturity to navigate traditional expectations of being a young village girl on the weekends and an empowered student living in a town on the weekdays. Her father, a progressive farmer, took up tailoring to earn extra cash to send Fatou and her brother Demba (also a scholarship student) to school. Her younger sister stayed home doing double-duty chores to compensate for Fatou's absence. And donations to this Scholarship Fund helped Fatou and her family pay for her final year of high school. Since she graduated, Fatou helped run a village nursery school in Kerr Alhagi Mallik and then joined the civil service as a police officer in Kombo." ~Sarah
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Featured Scholarship Student: Mallik B.
"Mallik B. is a grade 7 student who is part of my host-family in Kerr Alhagi Mallik. While he was chosen to attend English school, his younger brother was chosen to attend Koranic school. Mallik inherited his soft-spoken disposition from his father, the village chief, and his infectious laugh from his mother, one of the people I admire most. I remember watching Mallik B. and his cousin, Mallik F. who is also a scholarship student, vying for first position in their elementary school class and remaining the best of friends." ~Sarah |
YouTube Video of Mallik being interviewed by KAM Scholarship Fund co-founder, Modou Bittaye.
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Featured Scholarship Student: Mariama
"Charming and decisive, Mariama is the kind of natural leader who other children immediately look up to. She once rallied a group of a dozen children to weed my overgrown garden. She was my backyard neighbor, always popping by to say Hi or ask for tutoring, and frequently collapsing in laughter. As the youngest child in her family, Mariama was doted on by her parents before they passed away - her father in 2006 and her mother in 2009. She is currently enrolled in grade 8."
~Sarah |