New African charity launched in Malvern (From Malvern Gazette)

New African charity launched in Malvern

3:10pm Monday 16th November 2009

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A POTENTIAL new charity has been launched in Malvern with a successful African evening.

The event was held on Friday (November 13) at the rugby club in Spring Lane to launch Janjanbureh Uniting Sustainable Tourism And Community Training - or JUST ACT Gambia.

The aim is to involve the community of Janjanbureh, on an island 180 miles upriver in the Gambia, in providing services for tourists, re-establishing a local skills centre and building a simple tourist information centre in the town JUST ACT is the brainchild of Jane Smith of Malvern, who since 2005 has been visiting a school there.

She says that Janjanbureh is well placed to attract more tourists due to improving road access.

"It's important that the local community benefits from this and not only outside tour operators," she said. "We want to re-establish the local Gamspad Skills Centre to provide training in skills to provide goods and services to tourism."

She said that wherever possible local people will provide the training, or be funded to attend courses elsewhere to bring those skills back to the community.

She said the African evening was a great success. Guests enjoyed West African drumming, African dancing and Gambian food. There was also a raffle with a first prize of an hour's helicopter ride donated by David Hepworth of UBL, Ledbury. The total raised so far is £670 and rising.

Jane, who is going out to the Gambia again for three weeks in December, has applied for JUST ACT Gambia to be officially recognised as a charity. Anyone who would like to support her can contact 01684 567409 or jane.smith10@btinternet.com.

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