Contact Address:
Gambia
Organisation For
The Visually Impaired
MDI Road
Kanifing South, Ksmd 
Banjul area Head office
The Gambia, West Africa
Tel no: +220 4377797
4378661
9997746 / 9812080
7035351 / 6223496
Fax:
4378661
Email: govi@qanet.gm
ali_sllh@yahoo.com
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Information:
GOVI is a registered non-governmental organisation which
was founded in Banjul in 1991 after a merger between
The Gambia Society for the Blind and The Gambia Association
of the Blind.
Its main focus is on school education,
prevention of blindness, the treatment of people with
eye impairments and advocacy for people with limited
or no vision to equal rights and opportunities in all
areas of social and economic life.
GOVI is a national institution which works with related
institutions, families and communities to enhance the
welfare of people with visual
impairments and blindness.
Activities & Programmes:
Both adults and children as well as families can take
part in the following schemes & activities.
• Fundraising activities.
• Hardship relief & emergency
aid.
• Livelihood
skills training & employment
assistance.
• Local branch
development.
• Reduce preventable blindness.
• Rehabilitation within the community.
• Rights advocacy & child protection.
GOVI School:
The GOVI Resource Centre in Kanifing South is currently
the only special
needs school for blind children in The Gambia.
Pupils attend free from nursery school age of 3 up to
between Grade 1 to 4 of primary school for weekday teaching
lessons. After mastering Braille and graduation they
are then assimilated into the mainstream community education
system to finish their higher level schooling.
The school is supported by international donors who
provide educational materials such as Braille paper
/ machines, talking books, IT equipment, stationery,
recording equipment etc. They also finance essential
teacher training as well as sponsor some of the children
with uniforms, allowances etc. Among these sponsors
are the formally named Friends of Govi in the UK, SENSIS
International in Holland and Muslim Aid (UK) among others.
Individuals also assist the GOVI Resource Centre through
local sponsorship, providing school meals in the morning
and at lunchtime.
The central government gives its support through employing
teachers for the school as well as overseeing and evaluating
education standards and puts in place vehicles to meet
the travelling requirements of children from their home
residence to the campus.
• Admittance
Students are enrolled upon satisfactorily meeting the
requirements of the GOVI Resource Centre which is to
produce a medical report from the relevant education
authorities that meet their standard to qualify for
admittance.
• Classroom Lessons
Most of the teaching that takes place is in Braille
which is introduced early on after they have commenced
attending classes.
• Orientation & Daily
Life Skills
Children are taught skills in ADLs or Activities of
Daily Living which is intended to give them greater
independence at home and in public life. Some of these
practical lessons includes putting on clothing, preparing
and cooking food, eating, washing their bodies, using
the toilet and general personal hygiene.
One of the first things they learn is O&M or the
Orientation and Mobility Training which is intended
to make the children aware of the school spaces, walkways,
buildings and classrooms so they can safely and independently
move around within the school grounds.
• Livelihood
Training
Arts and crafts are taught such as rug weaving, horticulture,
basket making, music etc. These subjects are incorporated
into lessons which also feature the National Curriculum
covering core lessons such as Integrated Studies, math,
history, English language etc.
• Integration
After the children have finished Grade 4 they are provided
with audio recorders, Braille typing machines, paper
and other essential learning materials required.
They are then taken into the Gambia Government backed
scheme called the Integrated Education Programme (IEP)
which supervises blind and visually impaired children
with the assistance of mobile specialist teachers.
GOVI Partners / Membership in & Outside The Gambia.
• Africa Union for the Blind (AFUB) - member.
• Children in Crossfire (UK) - early childcare &
development.
• Force Foundation - Capacity
building through training.
• Friends of GOVI
UK (re-named Friends of Visually Impaired Children in
the Gambia) Supports the GOVI School and have been long
term supporters for many years.
• Gambia Federation
of the Disabled.
• Government of The Republic
of The Gambia.
• Muslim Aid UK - long-term
supporter of GOVI projects.
• Perkis School
for the Blind (Watertown, Massachusetts, USA).
• Sight Savers International.
• TANGO- The Association of Non Government Organisations
- member.
• Visio International (SENSIS) Netherlands
(capacity building).
• VSO
- provides volunteers from the UK giving technical advice.
/ capacity building.
• World Blind Union.
Fatou Mbaye Memorial Hall:
It operates a facility which is open for hire for various
functions & meetings.
• Ceremonies (awards,
weddings)
• Parties
• Seminars &
Workshops
• Study Lectures
Branches:
Banjul
Box Bar Road
Tel: 422 7001
Fax: 422 4131
Directions:
Opposite the Management Development Institute in Kanifing
South. |
