Sponsor Trip to The Gambia in November!

Warm summer sun, miles of sandy beaches, balmy summer evenings, encounters with happy children’s faces, a varied program including visits to Butterfly Friends’ schools and health clinic, and the opportunity to experience a colorful soccer tournament with our schoolgirls.

Departure from Gardermoen on Saturday, November 18, at 5:45 p.m. via Istanbul, arriving in The Gambia on Sunday, November 19, at 8:45 a.m. Return trip on Sunday, December 3; arrival at Gardermoen at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 4.

Round-trip ticket: 9,500 NOK. You may bring 2 suitcases weighing 23 kg each and 8 kg of carry-on luggage per person.

For many, November seems far away right now, but this is an exceptionally good price because we’re booking early.

We’ll be staying at the fantastic Bojang River Lodge in Cape Point. It’s brand-new and gorgeous, but reservations for November and December are already starting to come in. That’s why we’re sending out this invitation now.

A private house for 2 people: 500 NOK per night.
A private house with sleeping accommodations for three people: 720 NOK per night.
Staying at Cape Point also has the advantage that we’re only 15 minutes away from schools and health centers.

Call Anbjørg at 906 52 378 or email: sponsor@butterflyfriends.no

Day-by-day itinerary.
Day 1. Sunday, November 19, 2023
Arrival in The Gambia at 8:45 a.m. Gambian time (only a one-hour time difference)
. You’ll be picked up in a comfortable car with cold drinks and friendly people.
The drive to the hotel takes about 40 minutes, and a hearty breakfast awaits.
Get to know your surroundings—the pool and the beach. The Atlantic Ocean is right there with its lovely swimming waters. Enjoy the day! We’ll meet up at 6:00 p.m.
Day 2. Monday, November 20.
We’ll leave at 10:00 a.m. and visit Butterfly Friends’ first school, about a 20-minute drive away. The school is located in the village of Ebo Town and has 300 students aged 4 to 7. We’ll be greeted by happy students singing and smiling, and the teachers will be happy to chat with us. We’ll continue on to the Butterfly Friends Children’s, Youth, and High School in New Jeshwang, just a 10-minute drive away.
Here, you’ll meet students and teachers and learn how Butterfly operates in The Gambia. For those who’d like to visit classrooms and observe lessons, that’s perfectly fine. We’ll take our time, and those who’d like to try the school lunch will be served Benneche—it’s delicious! From there, we’ll head back to the hotel—relax, and we’ll meet again at 6:00 p.m.
Day 3. Tuesday, November 21.
Departure at 10:00 a.m. Today we’ll visit the Butterfly Friends School in Brikama, about a 40-minute drive away. The preschool opened in 2009 and the elementary and middle school opened in 2014; the school has a total of 390 students. Here, you can also visit the classrooms and observe the lessons, as well as talk with students and teachers. We’ll be served a delicious meal, and there will be dancing and fun. On the way back, if you’d like, we’ll stop by the Brikama craft market, where you can buy all kinds of wooden figurines, bowls, drums, and more, all carved from wood. Back at the hotel, relax or take a dip in the pool, and we’ll meet at 6:00 p.m.
Day 4. Wednesday, November 22.
We’ll have an early breakfast and set out at 9:00 a.m. for the health center, about a 15-minute drive away. There, we’ll meet many mothers with their babies who come for vaccinations, vitamins, and well-baby checkups. If you have any baby clothes in sizes up to three years, please feel free to bring them along so you can donate them at the center. We’ll be back home around 1:00 p.m.—enjoy the rest of the day, and we’ll meet at 6:00 p.m.

Day 5. Thursday, November 23.
Relax and enjoy yourselves.
We’ll meet at 6:00 p.m.

Day 6. Friday,
November 24. Departure at 10:00 a.m. For those who are interested: A trip to the capital, Banjul, and the Gambia National Museum. From there, we’ll head to Albert Market in the heart of the city. Albert Market is a long street lined with stalls on both sides where you can buy just about anything!
We’ll meet up again in the evening.

Day 7. Saturday, November 25.
The Butterfly Friends Soccer Academy is in full swing, and this Saturday we’ll be holding a soccer tournament featuring four Butterfly Friends girls’ teams. The teams are Mjøndalen, Teie, Sigdal, and Butterfly Friends
. It’s a huge joy to get the girls involved in soccer. You can learn more about us on the Butterfly Friends Facebook page and website.

Day 8. Sunday, November 26.
Today we’ll spend time with our sponsored children and any additional children you’d like to bring along (friends’ sponsored children). Please send the names and phone numbers of all the children you plan to meet this Sunday. To sponsor@butterflyfriends.no
Remember to bring a few extra terry towels, and if you have a swimsuit for your sponsored child, that would be great. We’ll enjoy ourselves all day with good food, soda, cookies, drumming, dancing, and swimming. A wonderful and memorable day. The teachers would prefer that we not take the students out of school during school hours. That’s why it’s fine to spend time with your sponsored child on Sunday.
We’ll meet at 6:00 p.m.

Day 9. Monday, November 27.
We’ll travel to the Butterfly Friends School in Bakalar. We’ll leave at 8:00 a.m. for Banjul—take the ferry to Barra, and after a 30-minute drive, we’ll arrive at the school. If you’d like to visit James Ireland’s slave island, we can include that on this trip as well. We’ll decide on this once we’re in The Gambia. We’ll be back home around 6:00 p.m.

Day 10. Tuesday, November 28.
Enjoy your day, and we’ll meet at 6:00
p.m. Day 11. Wednesday, November 29.
We’ll meet at 11:00 a.m. and decide together if there are any special requests for the day.
Day 12. Thursday, November 30.
Rest day. Dinner at 6:00
p.m. Day 13. Friday, December 1.
Meet your sponsored child in the afternoon at their home if you’d like.
Day 14. Saturday, December 2.
Relaxing day, sponsored child, market, beach
Day 15. Sunday, December 3.
Packing finished by 3:00 p.m., and we’ll enjoy a nice lunch before leaving the hotel for the airport at 6:00 p.m.
We’ll land in Norway at 5:10 p.m. on Monday, December 4.

In The Gambia:

Always remember to bring a water bottle on all our excursions. All excursions are completely optional; YOU decide for yourselves what you want to participate in. We’ll be traveling in a small bus with a great driver.
Over the course of these two weeks, you should budget approximately 1,000 NOK for transportation. Gas and diesel have become expensive in that country as well.

Currency exchange rates and prices will be updated.
Bring Norwegian kroner (1,000-kroner bills are no problem).
There are also ATMs that accept most types of cards. Maximum withdrawal: 8,000 dalasi = approx. 1,850 NOK + a 50 NOK fee. Not very profitable, but possible.

Subject to exchange rate fluctuations: Today, 100 Norwegian kroner = 520 dalasi. Price examples: 9-liter bottle of water: 50 kr; dinner per person: approx. 100 kroner; bottled water and beer: 10–15 kroner. Transportation to the various excursions—approx. 1,000 NOK for 14 days.
All prices in The Gambia have also risen.

Vaccinations and more.
Contact your local public health officer.
Yellow fever: provides lifelong immunity.
Hepatitis A: two doses administered 6 months apart.
The hepatitis vaccine is effective for 20 years. You can travel with just one dose.
There is no cholera in The Gambia; this oral vaccine is completely unnecessary and
actually provides only 40% protection.
Malaria pills are especially important. Be sure to get Malarone, which has no side effects. Take one Malarone tablet every morning or evening, starting 2 days before departure, throughout your trip, and for one week after returning home.
Bring mosquito repellent from Norway. The repellent available at the pharmacy is fine
. There is air conditioning in the room.
Otherwise, it’s important to carry a small first-aid kit in your backpack every day. If you get a small cut or scrape, have it cleaned and put a band-aid on it right away.
Imodium is fine to use for stomach issues.
There’s an English hospital in The Gambia, as well as a Gambian one that’s very well-run, with both white and Black doctors.
Many people bring some simple food like crispbread, caviar, brown cheese, and instant coffee. A delicious breakfast at the hotel is included in the price.
It’s a good idea to bring a power adapter—you can buy one at Gardermoen. (British system)
Internet is available at the hotel.
Cell phones work. The area code for those calling from Norway is 00 220 + the number.
The food is fresh, freshly prepared, and tasty.

For those of you who enjoy seafood, this country is a paradise. In total, more than 760 tickets have been booked for sponsors over the past 20 years.
During your stay, we can arrange a short African dance class, drumming class, or cooking class. Would anyone like to go on a fishing trip, play golf, or…? The Gambia is a paradise for birdwatchers. We can arrange all of this.
Welcome to a memorable and unique vacation!