How are you today?

The Gambian people must be amongst the friendliest in the world. Wherever you go you are warmly greeted with a heavily accented “How are you today?”

Today I was at KMC – not a fast food chain, but Kanifing Municipal Council, the venue for a workshop for local charities or NGOs as they are known in Africa, on the theme of Developing an Organisational Plan for Your Community Project. This is a workshop I have facilitated many times in the UK, but the buzz and dynamic today was something quite different.

The KMC’s Mayor’s Chamber was essentially a multipurpose community building and I had the great pleasure of training twenty or so, essentially young people, totally committed to developing quality of life in their much-needing communities, (Did you know that you could sponsor an orphan through school for about £20?). I don’t think I have ever felt such a thirst for developing new skills and knowledge as I did today, and the feedback given at the end was very positive and thoughtful, very different from the bland comments, I have to admit are often given and received when working with similar groups in the UK.

The Gambia is a small country, half the size of my native Wales and the resort area is only about 5Km of Atlantic coastline. Consequently, the areas around the hotel are swarmed by what are, I think, affectionately known as Bumsters, young men desperately trying to earn a crust by offering their services as tour guides. When you decline their services, they often respond with the plea that they need to buy a bag of rice for their mothers. I have absolutely no problem with anyone trying to earn a living and if you respond politely and with a friendly greeting these men are no problem whatsoever. If ever there was a need for some effective sales and marketing coaching, the Bumsters are in need of it. Could there be an opportunity here for the Enfys Acumen?

Word has got round that I am here in The Gambia to provide organisational development and coaching support to Aid for Orphans and the Disabled (AFOD), essentially because I was seen on the 9 O’Clock News yesterday evening and also because it seems that many people know my host and Chief Executive of AFOD, Lamin Fofannah. Reminds of somewhere else… Small countries eh!