As previously reported on the Blog, the ferry service across the River Gambia continues to cause difficulties getting around the country and for HELPING staff trying to visit projects on the North Bank. After several hair-raising crossings earlier this year when the ferry was dangerously overcrowded, broke down, drifted out to sea or simply failed to run, we are looking forward to the completion of our own accommodation block on the North Bank which will make ferry crossings less of an issue.
The Lodge will be a basic accommodation block consisting of five bedrooms able to sleep a total of 15 people in a combination of single and double beds, some rooms having three singles and others having a double and single bed. Each room will have an en-suite bathroom with hot shower, basin with hot and cold running water and western-style flush toilet. There will be disabled access and electricity will be provided by solar panels.
The aim is to have the roof on and the building finished before this summer's rains. A kitchen will be built later and HELPING is buying cookers which are similar to bucket barbecues which can use compressed crushed peanut shells as fuel. This type of fuel is cheap to buy as it uses a waste product from the peanut farming business - currently it costs only 5 dalasi per kilo (approx 10p). It's more environmentally friendly than burning wood as it saves trees being cut down and produces far less smoke than wood fires.
We have already started to receive enquiries from people wanting to stay there this year!
No comments:
Post a Comment