We are heading the right direction....

Folks,

I share with you my delightfulness of how people have been significantly responding to our calls for collective contributions towards improving our own community. We cannot but, feel so proud and be very much appreciative of all willing to join this venture. Moreover, having folks that are not natives but, willing to join us on this worthy cause goes to confirm we’re indeed doing and heading the right direction. In which case, I seize the opportunity to thank you all.

On a slightly different note, I’m quite sure people are and always will be anxious to know the ongoing progress of the association. I don’t blame anyone who does; that’s why we’ll do the best to keep you informed as to the association’s activities. It is part of the concrete foundation of accountability, transparency, among other well defined ethical values this association is build on and will be living up to. Moving along...

CONSTITUTION/REGISTRATION/PRESS RELEASE:
As discussed earlier, some handful of members are currently working hard to compile the constitution and the press release. We are almost on the final stages of the drafts. Since we’re in Ramadan (I know for sure the Fulas & Jolas have a tough time writing when they haven’t eaten…lol) so to be considerate, we’re trying not to overwork ourselves. In light of such, a conference call (to feature just the above members) has been slated for September 6th, to finalize the documents. In which event, they will be made available to the public for final ratification and, then, the registration process as well, will be finalized on the American side including the opening of an account with BA titled. So folks please still do continue to salvage us with your patience which is very much appreciated.

FIRST PROJECT:
Nonetheless, with the ongoing drafting of the constitution and the registration process, we are still banking on implementing our first project come October (Insha’Allah). Therefore, no matter how small the amount of funds we’ve collected, we are pledging to initiate our first step towards benefiting the Basse Township. With regards to the specifics (what, where, and how) as to the funds’ disbursement and project details that will be decided during the course of September.

TO OUR BELOVED WOMEN, WE ARE DYING TO HEAR FROM YOU:
Something that has come to light and has been really worrying some of us is the lack of active participation of our beloved women. In light of such, to encourage their active participation in this noble cause, an anonymous member has pledged to match the contributions of the first 4 women in the United States and 10 from The Gambia; Dollar to Dollar ~ Dalasi to Dalasi. So to our much honoured Sisters/Moms, please do make your presence known. Your ultimate contributions would indeed place the association at an even faster pace. (As per Sellou’s example, the GPTC bus would be in that case flying on the Banjul - Basse highway, it becomes Super Express then…lol).

SUGGESTIONS/MEMORIES:
I couldn’t leave without thanking you all for the wonderful ideas and suggestions, especially for the website, which I am trying so hard to make it feel like home for all on web. It is indeed gradually getting there thanks to your suggestions. Just to highlight some suggestions made earlier that we’re still working on; after pressing requests from the public, I am on the verge of collecting pictures of the steering committee members to be posted on the website, per Ousuboy’s/M.S. Bah’s suggestion (Although, we cannot risk putting our addresses on the site for security reasons). The pictures/bios are not a matter of showing off but, more so for people to have an idea of who they’re dealing with. Additionally, I am planning of eliminating the guestbook (as it’s starting to duplicate the forum) to be utilized as a page for news/developments within Basse, per Sarjo’s suggestion). On a similar note but, different side this time, we are encouraging folks to send us recollections of their cherisable memories while in Basse, to be presented on the website. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a writer (We’re very much aware that English is not the native language for most of us, if not all) so we got you covered. To boost your confidence, we have very willing and capable editors to erase those mistakes before posting it on the site. On my case, even though, I spent a very little bit of my lifetime in Basse, I still have good memories to share, so be on the lookout for mine….it is coming soon….

I apologize if this posting have been way too long for anyone. Let’s keep the momentum, remember, we can do as much as the missionaries/NGOs (Such as Africa Muslim Agency, CCF, CRS, etc) have been doing in our own communities….

Sincerely,

Pa Joof “PJ”
Washington, DC
Steering Committee Member for US