• A national organisation, GIFTS, The Gambian Institute of teacher Training in Scotland, has been set up and backed by Stirling Council.

• GIFTS is now a registered Scottish charity.

• A teacher-training programme has been established that has been praised by the Gambian Government as an example to all.

• Fintry has sent 3 staff out twice in a year and now works with 7 Primary (Lower Basic) schools.

• They have brought 3 Sambel Kunda staff to train in Fintry School on 2 occasions.

• Over 30 boxes of resources have been put into Gambian classrooms.

• They sought partnership with the University of Strathclyde Electrical Engineering Department who have incredibly put solar power into this remote village – now the only one in the area with light to study at night, a t.v. and d.v.d. player to see learning resources on, a laptop printer and email – as well as a first every landline phone system. At the request of Fintry they also installed a high spec fridge and freezer for medicines in the local clinic through solar power.

• Fintry persuaded Strathendrick Rotary to raise funds to support the much needed health clinic.

• They have found a major sponsor for a 16 year old boy who has the potential to train as a doctor over the next 10 years – his first local weekly training is already in place.

• A review of the school meal system (world aid rice – but not free to all) is underway to improve equality for all.

• They are backing a first ever Women’s Development Association in Sambel – now with over 70 nurses who pitch in 20p each and make soap, tie-dye work and embroidery to make enterprise put cash in the hands of the women and Jackie has been made Senior Mother of this society – equal to Honorary President.

• Films have been made of the expeditions and used as teaching tools in Stirling schools, where Fintry children tell the story of life in Africa to other classes.

• The snowball effect has meant fund raising and learning in other schools – they get real people’s stories and facts and they know the money raised will go straight to a real class in need.

• The partnership between Fintry School and University of Strathclyde Electrical Engineering Department has been given the top award for business and school links in the Central belt of Scotland by Careers Scotland – ahead of 160 such partnerships.