Emmanuel School: Enterprise, Energy & Trees in The Gambia

🌍 Emmanuel School: Enterprise, Energy & Trees in The Gambia

This story doesn’t begin in Busumbala. It begins in classrooms in Walsall…in Emmanuel School.

Emmanuel School has shown what true global citizenship looks like. Through creative fundraising and business enterprise challenges — including pupils turning small amounts of money into larger sums through their own ideas, effort and teamwork — they raised funds specifically to support BFiG Busumbala Nursery School. Their generosity helped us purchase fruit trees, umbrella trees and vibrant bougainvillea to begin establishing our long-planned school garden.

This wasn’t just a donation.

It was entrepreneurship with purpose.

🌺 Stopping at the Roadside Nurseries

With Lamin, I’ve driven past these roadside garden nurseries for many years. Along dusty roads you’ll see neat rows of mango, banana, orange and avocado saplings, alongside bright bougainvillea and umbrella trees standing patiently in the heat.

Not once did I think we would be stopping there to buy trees and flowers for our own school.

But this time, we did.

Thanks to Emmanuel School’s fundraising, Lamin and I pulled over, stepped out into the sunshine, and chose the trees that would become the beginning of our garden. Mango. Banana. Orange. Avocado. Four umbrella trees. Four bougainvillea plants. Carefully selected. Carefully loaded. Carefully transported back to Busumbala.

It was a simple moment — but it felt symbolic. Years of driving past. And now, because of children in the UK, we were buying trees for Gambian children to nurture and learn from.

🌱 Planting Day with Chris Sylla

Towards the end of my January 2026 visit, our tireless “Uncle” Lamin Barrow developed some back problems. Anyone who knows Lamin knows slowing down isn’t in his nature — between managing the school, driving his taxi and supporting community projects, he’s constantly on the move. But this time he needed a few days’ rest.

So when you see Lamin in the video alongside Chris Sylla planting trees with renewed energy, that’s a few days later — once his back was thankfully feeling much better.

Chris, who previously fundraised for our school water tap and even supported us while recovering from a chest infection, once again stepped forward. This time she brought a new friend of the charity, Muhammed, who immediately joined in with the planting.

Together, they helped place into the soil the very trees funded by Emmanuel School’s enterprise challenge.

UK pupils raising money. Gambian hands planting trees. A shared vision growing roots.

🌿 A Garden with Purpose

This garden is more than decoration. Growing fruit and vegetables forms part of the Gambian curriculum, and these trees will become living teaching tools. The school Nanny prepared the ground. The heat was intense — but so was the determination. By the way, Nanny does smile…but not for photos!

These trees will provide shade. Colour. Nourishment. Learning. And a visible reminder of partnership across continents.

📹 Lights, Camera… The Two Mariamas!

The attached video captures more than planting — it captures personality.

Keep an eye out for a little camera posing from The Two Mariamas — our wonderful teachers, Mariama Fatty and Mariama Jaiteh. A quick smile, a playful moment — reminders that joy sits at the heart of everything we do.

💚 From Walsall to Busumbala

Emmanuel School’s pupils didn’t just raise funds. They created impact. From business enterprise in the UK to trees now rooted in Gambian soil, their actions have helped shape a greener, brighter future for Busumbala Nursery School.

To Emmanuel School, to Chris, to Muhammed, to Lamin — and to everyone who supports Building Futures in The Gambia — thank you.

The trees are planted.
The garden has begun.
And the future is growing. 🌱

Enjoy the video!