Big Day at the Health Center

Saturday, May 3, 2025, was a big day at the Butterfly Friends Health Center. In the days leading up to the event, a busy young woman—a newly licensed nurse—had taken the initiative to invite women from Ebo Tow and New Jeshwang to receive free health checkups at the health center. These areas are two of the poorest in all of The Gambia—something we know all too well, since the vast majority of our students come from these very areas. It turned out to be a very successful day.

From early morning until late afternoon, there was a steady stream of women who wanted to be examined. Everyone who came received a general health checkup; blood samples were taken, blood pressure and cholesterol were measured, and they were tested for diabetes. It was alarming how many people needed help, but it’s good to know that they left the health center with the right medications and can now lead a healthy daily life. Unfortunately, far too many people die from diabetes and high blood pressure in The Gambia.

A total of 530 women came that day and received help, which was made possible because about 30 nurses and nursing assistants worked for free to provide care to the poorest members of the community. This is an initiative we will definitely follow up on, and we hope to organize more “open days” like this in the future.

Anbjørg also got a really lovely surprise. A young nurse suddenly came up to her and said, “Hi, Ann.” It turned out to be a former student who had started her education at the preschool in Ebo Town and attended the Butterfly schools for all 15 years of her schooling. Today, she is a fully licensed nurse. That’s really something.