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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 03:02:15
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I'm considering a service to provide educational audio CD's to stimulate the curiosity in children to learn. I'm curious if audio CD players are common in Gambia. Is there a good chance that every school in rural Gambia (URD for example) will have access to one? What percentage of families may own a CD player? Is it as common as the radio these days?
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 09:56:38
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| I have taken several CD players from england in my hand luggage and given them to people. But the problem is POWER AGAIN! Rural Gambia has very little electricity and batteries are expensive. |
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 16:48:48
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gambiabev, thanks! This makes sense.
When you say very little electricity, do you mean that it is simply not available in some towns, or that there are power cuts frequently? For example, do the residents have electricity in Basse & Fatoto? |
T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 19:30:30
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| agree with bev, cd players no problem, batteries are the problem. good quality batteries are in short supply. If you send it to the right place, cound you supply them with re-chargeable batteres, just something for you to consider, of make sure your cd players can be plugged into the mains as well as batteries. If you cannot do any of this, could you perhaps supply a generator to your education places. sometimes you have to think backwards. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 20:06:59
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Can anyone tell me why there is a government tax on things electrical coming into the country? Why our bags are searched coming into the country?
I thought it was for arms or drugs? But it is electrical things they are looking for.
Surely people should be encouraged to provide things that are going to benefit people, not taxed on them?
Am I missing something?
I would like to bring more cd players, mobile phones etc. Friends give me their old ones and I pass them on. But if I have to pay to bring them in it makes it too expensive. |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 20:51:27
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
Why our bags are searched coming into the country?
I thought it was for arms or drugs?
they are looking for DRUGS and ARMS and other illegal stuff like endangered species etc. i think like all countries if you have something valuable you have to declare it at the customs entry point. you dont do that at the airport in UK because most of what you need is in the UK anyway.
i think each person is allowed one mobile phone, which is reasonable but you have to understand that they cannot tell if you are going to sell the phones or not?
the tax per mobile phone is D450 if its new, i think. so next time someone gives you a phone ask them to add the tax to it. i think its the simpliest way out.
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 23:30:17
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jambo, thank you for the sobering feedback. Speaking od CD players being pluggable into the mains, does Gambia follow the British standards for electricity outlets? Sending CD players, batteries or generators are just not financially feasible for us.
Let me ask the question another way. What technoloy gadget is available for most people through which we can make good educational information available? I suppose all such gadgets that need electricity suffer from the same issue. There are some new hand-cranked gadgets available these days, but they are too expensive. |
T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 23:32:50
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| gambiabev, customs tax is just the usual desire by all Governments to raise money from taxes. In general I suppose that all high-tech goods are considered a luxury in Gambia. |
T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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Newfy
Western Samoa
462 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2006 : 23:51:40
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I have been wondering a long time if Gambia and other countries have ever been able to tap solar power as a form of energy to run things?
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 02:38:23
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Newfy, my understanding was that solar energy required higher investment up front and costs more per kWH in an ongoing basis compared to energy from coal and oil. However, it is perhaps ideal for small-scale disconnected energy source that only requires one-time expensive set up without need for infrastructure to move fuel in an ongoing basis.
Wind energy is another such option. Spend some money up front, but you get local energy source for a while. I've heard that southern India is experimenting with wind mills for local power production.
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T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 10:09:43
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Solar panels are available in Gambia. They are beyond the reach of ordinary people, but perhaps the government could provide them for schools.
When I was stopped at Banjul last time I was told by the guy searching my bags if I gave him one of the mobiles I didnt have to pay! So I gave him one. He was lining his own pockets. The government got no tax and his boss turned a blind eye! WELCOME TO GAMBIA!! LOL!!
A Cd player and good educational cds such as those available from WHsmiths or early learning in Uk are a useful educational tool for a Gambian nursery school. They need lots of batteries though.
Electric supply varies. AT Palm beach it is same as uk 3 pin, but not everywhere. Also some places have electric for lighting, but not enough to power all the stuff we are used to. eg lap tops, hair straighteners etc!! In MOST villages there is VERY little electricity. That is what makes it very beautiful, but also makes life difficult compared to what we are used to.
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 10:19:03
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| Wind power sounds good, but have you ever seen a wind farm? In usa there are some massive ones. They are a real blot on the landscape and they are incredibly noisy. So EVERY type of energy has pros and cons. In a big country like america they have room to site them away from people. But in Gambia this could be an issue. If you lived close to it I dont think you would sleep for the noise. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 10:21:14
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At Tendaba, without electrical pollution you can see the night sky perfectly. It is a wonderful sight, beautiful and romantic and thought provoking.
Guys if ever you want to get romantic with a girl, tendaba is the perfect place! LOL! |
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Jack
Belgium
384 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 11:39:44
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Ranga I have no doubt that your intentions are good but I have the impression you have little knowledge about the Gambia.
There is no electricity (or almost none) in the rural area's. And the rural area's are beginning very few km after the touristic zone. Basse and surely Fatoto has no electricity. The hotel I stayed in Basse had no electricity, but a huge generator provides some power from 9pm till 11pm. However last year I saw some electrification projects (pylones and wires) along the transgambian highway (its not really a highway). But if there ever will be current trought this wires, thats anothter question as even the big cities like Banjul, Serekunda, Brikama suffer from daily powercuts. Every hotel/hospital/business has his own generator because of the numerous powercuts.
High tech educational tools are (in the rural areas) in my opinion lost of money. All schools need just basic equipment and more that that they need teachers who want to teach in the rural areas. There are more or less enough candidates to teach in the coastal areas but there is a big need for teachers in the rest of the country. If you see well organised schools in the rural areas then you can bet on it that a NGO is helping that school. And a lot of NGO's are helping : the Netherlands, Germany, England, Belgium, Scandinavia, ... You just cant count the number of NGO's who are active in the Gambia.
As Gambiabev said solar technology is available in the Gambia (Gamsolar) but is far too expensive. And solar technology has its limitations as you has to store the energy in batteries. Providing a compound with electricity out of solar energy cost easily 200.000 dal. (then you will have enough energy for lightning, a refrigirator, television, radio). Most of the solar energy you see in the Gambia is used for pumps, pumping up the water during daytime in reservoirs). Because the government can't even provide all the school with teachers (salaries are to low) I don't believe that the government can provide schools with solarpanels.
If you really want to help the Gambia then you have to search for sustainable projects. Projects that will go on even if the NGO stops financing. But I admit, this is easily said and very very difficult to realise.
My advise is to visit the Gambia several times, and at least stay there once for a longer period.
Ci jamaa
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 11:52:13
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
When I was stopped at Banjul last time I was told by the guy searching my bags if I gave him one of the mobiles I didnt have to pay! So I gave him one. He was lining his own pockets. The government got no tax and his boss turned a blind eye! WELCOME TO GAMBIA!! LOL!!
i dont think that a nice thing to do and i must say you contributed to corruption. perhaps its worth noting that if you had paid the tax maybe a small part of it would have gone to build a school in Kolior??
it is people like that, who keep the country back. the more you encourage them the worst they get.
next time you go, he might ask for a TV?
you have to remain principled!!
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 12:46:22
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The money I bought with me was fund raised for by myself and my friends. This was to go to Kolior. I didnt want to hand that over.
I wasnt going to get away from the airport without alot of hassle unless I gave him a phone.
I am a principled person, and hated doing it. BUT I was also very hot and very tired. My friends were waiting for me to take me to the hotel etc.....
There should be signs up at the airport saying what you have to pay tax on, how much and reciepts given. THEN I would pay the tax, or decide it wasnt worth bringing those goods. I had already paid excess baggage to the airline. Sometimes it just feels like everyone is trying to make money out of you, when all you are trying to do is help a little bit! 
Has anyone seen an official leaflet about the import taxes? Could you post the information if you know about it? Thanks. |
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