Building Futures in The Gambia (BFiG)

Building Futures in The Gambia (BFiG) is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1159520) and Gambia-registered charity (Company No. 2015/C1998) working to provide safe, sustainable, high-quality early education for children in Busumbala Village, The Gambia.

Our work is grounded in a simple but powerful principle: every child has the right to education, protection and opportunity.

Our vision is informed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child — particularly Articles 2, 3 and 28 — which affirm every child’s right to access education without discrimination and in their best interests.

We are not a short-term project. We are a long-term commitment.

Our Journey

BFiG was officially registered with the UK Charity Commission in 2014, but our work began several years earlier.

• 2011 – We built and resourced a library at Makumbaya Lower Basic School, later installing solar power to ensure sustainability.

• 2013 – We funded and completed a third classroom and toilet block at Bright Star Nursery School in Old Yundum.

• 2015 – A Memorandum of Understanding was agreed with Busumbala Village Development Committee and the Permanent Secretary for Education to establish a purpose-built nursery school.
• October 2023 – BFiG Busumbala Nursery School officially opened with one classroom, 24 pupils and one teacher.

The school is now in its third academic year, serving around 44 pupils aged 3–6, with two teachers and growing demand for places.

In October 2025, the school formally applied for official registration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. That process is ongoing — an important milestone in securing the school’s long-term future.

BFiG Busumbala Nursery School Today

Our school provides structured early years education focused on:

• Foundational literacy and numeracy
• School readiness
• Safe, nurturing learning environments
• Outdoor learning and gardening (aligned with the Gambian curriculum)
• Inclusion and accessibility

Recent developments have included:

• Construction of a protective boundary wall
• Relocation of toilet facilities
• Installation of water supply
• Creation of a school garden
• Strengthening of site security
• Plans for a watchman’s hut
• Plans for a dedicated library/resource classroom

In January 2026, we received a transformative donation of 511 books from Book Aid International. This has accelerated our plans to build a dedicated library classroom so that children can properly access books and learning resources.

Our long-term vision remains clear:
A fully operational three-classroom nursery school serving Grades 1–3 with trained, supported staff.

Leadership in The Gambia

Lamin Barrow
School Manager

Lamin Barrow was born into a farming family in Sankandi, The Gambia. As the eldest boy in a household with seven younger sisters, he did not attend school. His responsibility was to work alongside his father in the fields, supporting the family from an early age.

The opportunity for education passed him by — but the belief in its importance never left him.

Lamin understands, in a deeply personal way, what it means to miss out on schooling. That experience has shaped his life’s mission: to ensure that children in his community receive the education he was denied.

Since becoming involved with Building Futures in The Gambia in 2011, Lamin has played a central role in every phase of development. He has supported land negotiations, overseen construction, transported materials, supervised building teams, coordinated with local authorities, managed staff, liaised with families and ensured the smooth day-to-day running of the school.

He is known locally not simply as a manager, but as “Uncle Lamin.” He is trusted, respected and deeply embedded within the Busumbala community.

His leadership is characterised by humility, resilience and extraordinary dedication. He gives his time generously because he believes education transforms lives. Busumbala Nursery School is not just a project to him — it is a legacy for his own children and for every child who walks through the school gates.

UK Leadership & Governance

Peter Kendrick
Founder, Trustee

Peter has spent his professional life in UK primary education, working as a teaching assistant, teacher, Deputy Head Teacher and Head Teacher. His experience spans classroom teaching, safeguarding, curriculum development, whole-school leadership and strategic school improvement.

This background directly informs the educational model implemented at BFiG Busumbala Nursery School. Peter’s focus has consistently been on creating structured, safe and effective learning environments that support early literacy, school readiness and strong foundations for lifelong learning.

Working in partnership, Peter and Lamin coordinate all aspects of the charity’s work — from infrastructure planning and safeguarding systems to fundraising, financial oversight and long-term strategic development.

Mark Chidler
Founder, Trustee

Mark Chidler is a Senior Lecturer in Education at Newman University and has played a significant role in developing long-standing educational partnerships with The Gambia. With a background in primary education and teacher training, Mark has led numerous student visits focused on global citizenship, cultural understanding and the international dimension of education.

He also serves as a founding trustee of Building Futures in The Gambia, supporting the development of sustainable, community-led educational projects. His work combines academic expertise with practical engagement, helping to strengthen links between UK educators and Gambian schools while promoting meaningful, long-term collaboration.

Our Approach

We are:

• Community-rooted – Working alongside local families and leaders
• Child-centred – Guided by children’s rights and wellbeing
• Sustainable – Building capacity rather than dependency
• Transparent – With accountable governance and financial oversight

We believe sustainable education requires both infrastructure and people — safe classrooms and supported teachers.

How We Are Funded

BFiG is sustained entirely through:

• Monthly individual donations
• Support from UK partner schools
• Fundraising initiatives
• Grants from charitable trusts and foundations

Monthly donations are especially vital. They allow us to pay our teachers and school nanny reliably and plan responsibly for the recruitment of a third teacher — a crucial step toward fully opening all classrooms.

Without regular income, sustainability is impossible.
With it, long-term change becomes achievable.

Looking Ahead

Our priorities for the coming year include:

• Construction of a dedicated library/resource classroom
• Building a watchman’s hut and strengthening school security
• Expanding staffing to include a third teacher
• Continuing to develop the garden and outdoor learning spaces
• Securing full government registration

Every brick laid, every book delivered and every lesson taught contributes to a bigger goal: breaking cycles of educational disadvantage and building brighter futures for children in Busumbala.

Join Us

If you would like to partner with us, support our work or learn more, we would love to hear from you.

We are not simply constructing buildings.

We are building futures — together.

Read about the history of BFiG Busumbala Nursery School here:
👉 https://www.bfigcharity.org/busumbala