Gambia 2018 Baobab Community Meetings
Happy New Year Friends!
We hope you had an amazing festive period with friends and family, and managed to unwind a little after a busy 2018, ready fighting fit for another amazing year ahead!
For ourselves, the end of 2018 was a little different (but certainly adventurous!) with an intense 4 weeks spent touring The Gambia. This was our first visit in 18 months, since 2016, and since the new President had taken democratic victory after 22 years of the former ruler.
After a fruitful (boom boom!) year developing Baotic foundations in the UK, we believed it was fundamentally important for us to take time back in The Gambia with the Gambian communities we are also set up to serve. It’s part of our mission, and staying close, empathetic, and understanding of the progress and challenges, the impact that’s being made, and the direction of future travel will only help serve our motivation and focus to achieve supporting these goals.
It was an incredible few weeks of travel, reconnecting with friends, family, colleagues, business networks, village communities, the culture and landscape, and the entrepreneurial community groups we work with. Not least to say it was also intense, emotional, and exhausting, and so we have taken a little time to return, rest, recover and reflect (whilst seeing in the new year – Happy Hogmanay to you!) before preparing a mini blog series to update you on our adventures.
(hover on desktop, or hold down on mobile, for a descriptive narration of our photos, and better follow our journey)
Below is a rough outline of what we hope we might cover. Featuring emotional reunions, crazy journey’s, healthy beach runs, inspiring women’s groups, prestigious invitations, village visits, Gambian food and drink, UN agencies, dancing to the African drum, and developing fears, hopes and opportunity. With a few Baobab plants, Baobab trees, Baobab fruits, and of course Baobab drinks, it really had it all!
Draft Blog Series:
Click below:
Part 1: The Adventure of a Gambian Journey!
Part 2: Sustaining Baobabs In All Their Glory!
Part 3: Heart Warming AND Heart Breaking In Equal Measures
Part 4: Invited to The United Nations, World Food Program
Part 5: Back To The Village: Catching up with Basse Women Co-operatives
Part 6: Gambia Health – A Burning Platform
Part 7: Meeting Inspiring People: Somita Women’s Group Garden
Part 8: Growing Entrepreneurial Spirit in The Gambia
Part 9: Gambia Progress 2016 to 2019
Part 10: Possible Summary: Gambia 2018 Visit Reflections
(hover on desktop, or hold down on mobile, for a descriptive narration of our photos, and better follow our journey)
As we post each blog we will update this list as web links, and link back to it from every blog so that you can keep up to date with the series.
And don’t forget follow us on social media for further updates: Facebook / twitter / Instagram
Its that time of year for a reflective refocus on our health and annual goals. So if you are looking to take a fresh step into the new year check out our Baobab drinks and Organic Baobab fruit powder (ideal for sprinkling on porridge, cereal, drinks, yogurt and salads – very versatile)
As a special thank you, for a limited time, use code: ‘HNY2019’ for a 15% off, loyalty reward!
Happy New Year – here’s to a healthy, happy and helpful 2019!
Paul & Isatou
