Sponsor Trip to The Gambia - November 2026
Published June 3, 2026
From November 15 to 29, we’re once again organizing a trip for sponsors and others who want to see firsthand all the good work Butterfly Friends does for young people in The Gambia. We expect this trip, too, to be filled with happy people and many wonderful experiences. Here are some of the things you’ll experience:
- When you arrive in The Gambia, you’ll likely be tired from the long flight. The first day will be spent relaxing, taking a walk to the beach, exchanging money, buying groceries, and generally getting to know the local area. We don’t have any set activities on the schedule that must be completed.
The next day, we’ll visit the school in Ebo Town. It has about 250 students aged 4 to 6. The school has just been renovated.
A wall between two classrooms was torn down, creating a “new” large classroom. Other classrooms were painted, the electrical system was inspected, and new LED lights were installed on the ceiling. The school is actually 23 years old, so maintenance is necessary to keep it looking nice and functioning properly.
The elementary school in New Jeshwang, with its approximately 800 students in grades 1 through 6, is our largest school. Students from Ebo Town come here after three years of preschool. It makes a strong impression to be greeted by so many smiling students, who express their joy at having the opportunity to attend school through song and dance.
Not least, you’ll forever remember the gratitude that shines in their eyes.
In Brikama, Butterfly Friends operates a combined preschool and elementary school with a total of 380 students. The trip there offers a new experience, as we’ve ventured “out into the countryside,” and along the way we see many things that seem new and unfamiliar to us Norwegians. You can join the students in the classroom, participate in the lessons, and see how the students learn in practice how to grow vegetables to increase their families’ food supply.
On the same day we’re in Brikama, it’s a natural choice to visit Makasutu National Park, which is located nearby. There, you can see many different birds and animals—especially monkeys—and perhaps take a boat ride on the river. It’s a truly wonderful place to visit. We usually take a short walk in the park and enjoy a good lunch before returning to the hotel or cabins around five or six o’clock.
https://www.accessgambia.com/information/makasutu-cultural-forest.html
One day, we’ll take the ferry from Banjul across the Gambia River to Barra, and from there on to Butterfly Friends’ preschool in Bakalarr. Here, 115 students from the local
community attend for three years before continuing their education at a regular Gambian elementary school. Unfortunately, not everyone has
that privilege, because at the public school, students must pay for their school uniforms, mandatory field trips, all public exams, and all school supplies themselves. Not everyone can afford that.
Once we’re on the north side of the Gambia River, we should definitely take a trip to the slave island of James Island, or “Kunta Kinteh Island” as it’s also known. We stop by the museum beforehand and see both text and images showing how the slaves were packed like “sardines in a can” and shipped across the Atlantic. It’s powerful and leaves a lasting impression. We return home,
tired but happy, around 6 p.m. after many adventures.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunta_Kinteh_Island
Once we’ve finally visited all the Butterfly Friends schools, it might be nice to take a day “off.” There’s plenty of interesting things to see in the area where we live. There are various types of markets, cozy restaurants, and, not least, beaches as far as the eye can see. How about a swim? The water is usually 28 °C.
On one of the days when free health checkups for babies are being offered at the New Jeshwang Health Center, we’ll stop by. If you bring clothes suitable for children ages 0 to 5, you’ll have the opportunity to donate them there. The parents are always thrilled to receive such clothes. The maternity ward delivers 300–400 babies every year.
Everyone who joins a sponsorship trip gets to experience the activities mentioned above, but The Gambia has so much more to offer.
The list below provides some suggestions for other things you can experience. These trips and experiences are things we’ll arrange as we go, and some of them can be combined with taking your sponsored child on an outing. But please note—all of this is arranged at cost, and prices vary.
- Albert Market—a long street in the capital city of Banjul with a huge selection of clothing, shoes, bags, and fabrics. You can buy just about anything here, but of course, you don’t have to buy a single thing
- Arch 22—This monument, which stands like a gateway at the entrance to Banjul, is 32 meters tall. It is a memorial to the military coup that took place on July 22, 1994. The monument cost well over 1 million U.S. dollars and serves no particular purpose today. A restaurant was planned for the top, but nothing ever came of it.
- National Museum of The Gambia – This building in Banjul was originally the Bathurst Club, a club where Englishmen (whites only) gathered to drink, dance, and listen to music. In 1985, the building was opened as a museum by the country’s first president. For 50 dalasi (about 9 kr), you can explore Gambia’s history, traditions, customs, archaeology, and more, spread across three floors. The small park outside is the only green space in Banjul.
- Bijilo Forest Park (the monkey park)—an area of about 500 mål with several trails you can hike on. Most people come here to see the monkeys. If you buy a bag of peanuts, you’re almost guaranteed to get up close with them. But in addition to the monkeys, there’s a rich variety of birdlife here.
- Tanji Fish Market – you won’t believe it until you see it for yourself. Here, local fishing boats come in to deliver their catch to the merchants on the beach; fishermen sit mending their nets; fish is sold fresh, dried, or smoked. It’s a bustling scene like no other.
- Kachikally Crocodile Pool – At this crocodile park in Bakau, you can actually pet sacred crocodiles—if you dare. Either way, you’ll get some fantastic photos.
- River Cruise on the Gambia River – If you choose to take a boat trip on the Gambia River, deep into the mangrove forests, you can spot crocodiles, hippos, and a rich variety of birdlife.
- And much more……
