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Information:
The Gambian Home For Children With Learning Difficulties is
run by the Hart Foundation, which is a fully registered NGO
charity which was established in 2001 to offer short-term
stays for kids with learning problems. Hart House also gives
parents and care providers respite from caring for their children
and to exchange ideas and progress reports.
The respite home covers the developmental stage of
children and helps them attain their highest potential by
providing a number of stimulating sets of learning and play activities.
Their intake has over 20 registered children with special
needs, aged between 5 to 15, most of whom are resident
with a few enrolled on a day-care basis from Mondays to Fridays.
However, during the low holiday season, the numbers they can
accommodate is reduced because of a drop in donations
from tourist visitors to The Gambia.
 Most
of the children's learning problems are as a result of having
suffered from cerebral malaria while others are the result
of cerebral palsy (CP), epilepsy and speech disorders. Young
people with mild to profound mental problems are taken into
the Hart House programme for cognitively stimulating classroom
activities.
Enrolment & Referrals:
Children are recommended to them from families, the Ministry
of Health & Social Welfare, kindergarten & primary
school teachers, passers by, other non-governmental organisations
in The Gambia and hospital paediatric consultants.
Once someone is referred to the institution the founder, Mr.
Geoffrey Hunwicks, makes a trip to the child's residence to talk
with his/her family. If all goes well an admissions application
form is filled out and a duplicate copy is delivered to the
Ministry of Health in Banjul.
Activities:
• Arts & crafts.
• Daily life skills such as washing & getting dressed
• Excursions for learning, fun, etc.
• Jigsaw puzzles
•
Children's DVDs
• Matching colours
• Music
• Outdoor sports
• Physiotherapy & speech therapy
• Playing with toys & table games
• Sandpit activities
• Signs & symbols using Makaton
• Socially interactive games
• Water play
• Write Dance
Hart Foundation
Structure:
The head of the foundation's executive committee is Geoff Hart
along with his spouse the director, cashier, secretary, staff
and family representation.
Funding & Help:
Most of the donated items and sponsorship monies comes from
visitors to the Gambia between the months of November to April
each year. These are for example individual child sponsorship,
cash to the Hart Foundation, donations for furniture and toys
provided by retailers and private individuals, gifts of education
materials etc.
They also welcome professional and lay volunteers
to help out at the school.
Building:
The property is a purpose built complex on two floors which
was finished in the middle of 2002 and measures 14 x 25m.
The first floor is used as the living quarters of the children
and has four bedrooms, a dining area, kitchen, four play rooms,
a living room, store, bathroom, shower, 2 WCs and equipment
storage space.
The top level has the living area for the CEO and his wife,
meeting room, four volunteer bedrooms and lounge, a store,
a bathroom and WCs.
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