Welcome Jennifer & Love4Gambia 2013!

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Erin Poirier

By Pa Modou Sarr, Kanifing, The Gambia* with Jennifer Pasiciel, Halifax, NS

(*internet connection in The Gambia was too weak to power wordpress so this blog was published by Erin)

Pa Modou Sarr from NSGA Gambia here. Having run two Love4Gambia runs across The gambia, one with Erin Poirier and one with Andrea Moritz, I am most pleased formally introduce our runner for the 2013 Love4Gambia run: Jennifer Pasiciel!

As we converge at the NSGA Gambia office here in Kanifing to discuss the past two years’ runs, the team in The Gambia, myself (Pa Modou), Kebba Suso and Dodou Bah are excited to go for another life saving run across the country. We’ve been introduced to Jennifer by our original coach Erin via Skype. We enjoyed every moment of the discussion with our two runners in Canada and we are just so excited to pick our new runner from the airport in June. Jennifer, we just cannot wait!

Here is Jennifer!

Let me tell you a little bit about Jennifer. She began running on the high school cross country team at the age of 12 and has developed an active lifestyle of hiking, running, and tree-planting since then. Over the past decade she has completed six marathons, hiked Kilimanjaro two times, and planted over half a million trees in British Columbia and Nova Scotia. She is also the race director of Run Without Borders, a non-profit, charity running race organized in Calgary, Edmonton, and Halifax.

Jennifer’s interest and passion for Africa began with a few courses in African Studies, followed by two trips to Eastern Africa- one to travel and volunteer in Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, and another to conduct research on malarial diagnostic tests in rural Tanzania. It was here that she developed an interest in health promotion, education, and prevention at the global level. Jennifer is currently completing her Masters degree in health promotion at Dalhousie University, doing research on rural women’s health and the social determinants of health.

With this, we (The Gambian team) are urging everyone to support Jennifer and the team here to save and change the lives of young people through NSGA’s Peer Health Education program in The Gambia. The team is eager to keep the world updated about the run in June and that we hope to run with each of you in spirit.

Keep your donations ready to support a worthy course!

Banjul calling and welcome Jennifer!!!

Love4Gambia 2013

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Erin Poirier

Banjul Calling… YOU!

Do you dream about running in Africa? This is your chance!

The Nova Scotia-Gambia Association (NSGA) is looking for experienced marathon runners to travel to The Gambia in the summer of 2013 to complete the 424km Love4Gambia cross country run in support of its charitable work in the country.

Who: Experienced marathon runner(s) willing and able to run 424km over a 3 to 4 week period during the summer of 2013 Runners will be joined by Team Love4Gambia- Pa Modou Sarr, Kebba Susso and Dodou “Spiderman” Bah

What: A run across the country of The Gambia, totaling 424km. In 2011, the run was completed in 20 days with an average daily mileage of 25 km for 17 days and 3 full rest days. In 2012, the run was completed in 17 days with an average daily mileage of 32km and 2 full rest days.

Where: Koina to Banjul, The Gambia, West Africa

When: Ramadan is July 9 through August 7 and as such, the run must be complete by July 7. It will begin approximately 3 weeks prior to Ramadan

Why: This run and the money raised by it will support the health, education and human rights activities of the NSGA in The Gambia.

How: Prospective runners must email Andrea Moritz @ andrea.moritz@rogers.com or Erin Poirier @ erinecallaghan@gmail.com by December 15, 2012.

A runner will be asked to raise $5000 for the NSGA along with money to cover their travel expenses, food and water totaling approximately $3500. Fundraised donations > $20 are eligible for tax receipts, including individual (excluding the runner) donations towards travel expenses.

The NSGA Gambia office will coordinate travel, lodging and meals.

Runners may bring along support people, provided they cover their own travel expenses, food and water.

NSGA is pleased to be able to accommodate more than one runner for this summer 2013 run. The Gambia team will determine the number of running days for 2013

Day 11 July 5 – Made it through a big week!

Posted on July 6, 2012 by andreamoritz

Eager to finish today’s run and get to our rest day, we left the river camp early and said good-bye to Rasta man who ran the camp. The morning was fresh after last night’s rain. We drove the 5 kilometers back on the road to the point where I had finished the previous day’s run. Kebba and I set off quickly, determined to leave the dirt road behind and to benefit from the cooler temperatures.

love4gambia 2012 Progress Map day11

When we reached the end of the dirt road and the river camp, Rasta man was standing on the bridge, cheering us on and wishing us well for the rest of the journey. Right after the bridge, we stopped at the military check point to say hello to the soldiers. I asked them a few questions about the Gambian military and learned that they are often part of the UN’s Peace Keeping Forces. I told them that it had been Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson who had come up with the concept of peace keeping. All three of the young man I was speaking to had done a tour in Darfur. We took some photos together for which they hid their large rifles behind a tree and then we were off again.

Working hard on the dirt road.

I don’t usually run with music, but today I took out my iPod to listen to some tunes instead of the frog concerts, bird calls, bleating of the goats and braying of the donkeys. Instead, the Talking Heads, Nirvana, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Miriam Makeba and the entire Drakensberg Boys Choir singing Shosholoza (a song very dear to South Africans and Comrades runners from around the world) were my companions. Kebba was also listening to music on his cell phone.

So many children in the Gambia need your help!

I noticed a car pulling up beside me and turned my head in surprise, as Pa Modou was ahead of us in the support vehicle. It turned out to be Ongul, Oumie and the Nova Scotia volunteers Katie, Lauren, Pam and Stephanie. They had finished teaching the peer health education courses in the schools they had targeted and were now on their way back to Banjul to start their placements in hospitals. It was great to see them! We got caught up on the latest news and then they joined me in the run for a few hundred meters. Lauren challenged to a sprint and Kebba and I took the bait. Don’t ask me where we found the energy – maybe the thought that tomorrow was a day off after six straight days of running over 30 kilometers was helping. Or maybe it was the spirit of support from the extended team.

By now we were more than half way through today’s run and Spider had also joined Kebba and I now. We occasionally stopped to shake hands and speak to people and I earned a new nickname today. The first time someone called me this new name was at the river camp, when Rasta man said I had the strength of a lion. One of the soldiers at the military check point also said I was a lion (he had told me as well that he would like me to carry his family name – not sure if as his sister or his wife!). And a woman we met at one of the villages referred to me as a lion as well. Anyone who knows how much I admire the big, graceful cats will know how flattered I was.

The guys are always there to support me!

Near the end of today’s run, we reached another military check point. This one actually stopped us whereas we usually just get waived through any control point, whether military or police. Our vehicle has an NGO license plate and these type of organizations do not give bribes as a matter of principle. This soldier wanted to check the back of our vehicle, so we opened it up while telling our story. He was intrigued by the fact that we were running such a long distance and I assured him that as a result, all he’d find in the back of our car was smelly shoes and dirty running socks. He smiled and said all was well and we talked a little more about our run and he saluted me three times while we spoke. Then I got a final crisp military salute and smile as a good-bye.

Now only a few kilometres remained and we were going to finish the day in Kebba’s home town. Kebba had run nearly the entire day with me today and was proud to be running at home, waving at friends and relatives as we went through town. We finished our day at the far edge of town after 32.2 kilometers. Another great day! Then we went by Kebba’s sister’s house for a quick visit. She had prepared some delicious domodah and shrimps and chips for us. We played with the adorable kids in the yard for a while, chasing each other around. The little ones loved their dinosaur stickers and all had some stuck on their arms and clothing, showing them off proudly. The girl in her school uniform received a pencil instead and was happy with the gift. These kids were so playful and absolutely adorable. I hope we’ll have a chance to see them again tomorrow.

Enjoying a well deserved rest.

Next it was time to find accommodation. The first place we tried did not have power at all, so we went to look at something else, especially since we were going to spend two nights. The second place we investigated also didn’t work out, so the guys decided we’d drive back along the road for a short stretch to the village where the Gambian President was born and raised. At the edge of the village was a resort. I was in for a major treat! The place has power, air condition, Wi-Fi, a shower with real water pressure and – get this – a swimming pool!! I had landed in the lap of luxury!

It wasn’t just the team who arrived at Sindola Safari Lodge, but we were plus one. Pa Modou had spotted a small turtle on the road as we were driving towards the resort. The poor thing was at risk of getting run over by a car. So we stopped and I wanted to put it to the side of the road, but Kebba suggested we take it along. I picked it up and climbed back into the car. The little turtle had receded into its shell and had covered its face with its front legs in a “if I can’t see you, you can’t see me” fashion. I kept it on my outstretched palm and as we were driving, it got up enough courage to sneak a peek at me and then to slowly come out of its shell. When we arrived at Sindola, I walked up to the reception desk (none of the places we had stayed before had such a thing!) and sat the turtle down on the desk while I completed the required paperwork. Kebba suggested I take it to my room and keep it over night to keep me company, but I thought it should be set free. So I took it to a small pond in the nicely landscaped garden and sat it down in the grass. The gardener was nearby and saw us and he suggested they mark the turtle with a splash of paint on its shell in order for it to be recognizable as the one I had brought who would now have a home at Sindola. And so it was done. We named it L4G, as in Love4Gambia, and it is now happily enjoying its new home.

The guys left shortly after settling me in and I headed over to the bar by the pool to sit on the deck and take advantage of the Wi-Fi. As I was checking messages and enjoying a cold cola, a group of young Gambian girls arrived. They were not guests at the hotel, but had purchased access to the pool for 50 dallasis each. All of them were dressed up, wore make-up and long wigs or had their hair done in an elaborate fashion. They headed past me to the pool and stripped down to their underwear, as they did not have swim suits. When they took the steps down into the pool they realized it was fairly deep and none of them could swim. So they splashed around on the steps for a short time and then called out to me: “Hey, sister, come in here and teach us how to swim!”. I had been planning to take a dip in the cool water to soothe my legs, so I gladly accepted the invitation. I told them I had to change into my swim suit and when I re-emerged from my room in a bikini, I received a round of applause and cheers. I got into the water and the swimming lesson began right away.

First I showed them how to move their arms for the breast stroke, emphasizing the need to push water behind them with their arms. They moved their arms as I showed them. Next, we held on to the edge of the pool and I demonstrated how to move the legs in a frog kick. Again, they mimicked the motion. Now it was time to put the two together and the two girls named Fatou, the most eager students, tried to swim from one end of the steps to the other. Good try! We practiced some more along the edge of the pool and then Fatou 1 ordered me to stand deeper into the pool and announced she was going to swim towards me. There was no life guard on duty, so I was it. My chin barely reached above the water level, but I was on solid ground, so we counted to three and Fatou paddled off, her face in the water, arms and legs flailing. When she reached me, I grabbed her and pulled her up. We high fived each other and she was pleased as punch. Fatou 2 was just slightly less comfortable, but she also reached me and again we pumped our fists into the air to underscore her success. The girls’ mascara was running down their cheeks and the nicely styled hair was soaked. After more practice and adding the crawl, Fatou 1 managed to swim a length across the pool. One of her friends had documented the entire lesson from the edge of the pool with a point and shoot camera.

After our swimming lessons, we got to know each other better. I learned that all the girls were in their mid-20s. Fatou 1 and 2 both had children, but were single mothers. They live in Serakunda, near Banjul, and were in town to visit one of the girls’ sisters. We also talked about my run and they asked if I was a sports woman, a question I frequently get. Then they saw my injured knee and the horrible state of my feet and said: “Oh, sorry, sorry!” and fussed over me a bit. While my feet were a mess, my French manicure was a hit, however (thanks, Alexis!). Fatou 1 works in a beauty salon in Serrakunda and when I said that I had broken a few finger nails during my journey, she told me to come by before leaving for Europe and she would fix my hair and my nails “real nice”. Sounds great! I took her number and will pay her a visit when I go to explore the Serrakunda market.

After the girls left, I relaxed by the bar for a while and now it is time to go to bed. No need to set the alarm for tomorrow, as it is our second and last rest day before the final push to Banjul. We have covered over 300 kilometers now and we can hear the call of the Atlantic Ocean. But before then, I think the swimming pool will be calling a few more times!

Best from the President’s home town!

Bintou

Day 10 July 4 – Pounding sand

Posted on July 4, 2012 by andreamoritz

The first two miles today were full of starts and stops. Just a few hundred meters into the run, I realized I hadn’t put sunscreen on, so we waved Pa Modou and Spider over and I protected my toubab skin. A kilometre later, the gauze I had only taped to my injured knee today came off. Kebba and I stopped again to get a clean gauze and a bandage to wrap the injured area and protect it from flies and dust. And before we could get too far down the road, I needed a nature break. Then, finally, we settled into a rhythm and the going was good.

love4gambia 2012 Progress Map day10

There had been no rain, so it was already hot and the dirt road was dry and dusty. The dust clung to my sweat and sunscreen and soon there were redish-brown rivulets running down my legs. Cars, taxis, tractors and large trucks driving by us belched black exhaust and swirled up clouds of dust that further covered us. I felt the grit of the sand between my teeth and behind my contact lenses.

Meeting incredible people…every single step of the way!

We stopped at a few villages to talk to people. Each of these conversations helps to create awareness of the Nova Scotia Gambia Association, its life-saving health education programs and about important health issues. It is also an opportunity to network in these communities and to pave the way future involvement in these places where NSGA may not have a presence to date.

We came upon some people sitting in the shade of a tree and an ancient looking man with one arm came up to me to shake my hand. He asked in Mandinka what we were doing and the guys filled him in on our mission. I believe that by now I have heard just about every sound that Gambians make to express surprise and disbelief. This old man made one of these sounds and the toothpick he had been chewing on fell out of his mouth. I don’t believe he even noticed. He stared at me open-mouthed and to break his spell I laughed and slapped my right thigh saying: “Strong legs!” As if to verify, he then also slapped his hand on my leg and then gave my quad a couple of squeezes.

Well behaved little Gambians getting a treat from the Love4Gambia 2012 super team.

Later, while sipping some Gatorade in the shade, a group of children and their mothers came over and we handed out minties to the little ones and our empty water bottles to the women. People are always keen to take the empty 1.5 litre bottles off our hands, as they are used in the compounds to carry and store water and other liquids as well as small things.

The kilometres kept ticking by and I was feeling good. As every day, I thanked my body for staying healthy and for putting up with the demands I’ve been placing on it these last few days. After 16 kilometers, Kebba was relieved by Spider who ran the remaining distance with me, which turned out to be nearly 17 kilometers today. When only about 6 kilometers remained, Pa Modou called me over to the car to tell me I had a phone call. I have on occasion talked to media on the phone during a run and often had calls from the NSGA’s country director and assistant director in Banjul to tell me how proud they were of the team and to encourage us. But this call was a surprise from Marc back home who wanted to send some love and encouragement all the way from Canada. I stood by the side of the road in the shade and talked to him for a while. It was great to hear his voice. Then I carried on for the last push.

Heat stroke!

By now, the heat had become completely oppressive again and a hot wind was suffocating and draining every remaining ounce of energy out of me. Suddenly, the going was not so good anymore. We had also been faced with rolling hill after rolling hill today and my tired legs were feeling the effects. The time between beeps from my Garmin to alert me that another mile was covered seemed to get longer and longer.

A well deserved rest after the run.

Eventually, we reached the target for today and then carried on a little past this point to find a good shady spot to rest. A boy who had been herding a few donkeys past us came by and soon two others followed. They looked on as I stretched and changed out of my shoes. I asked them if they liked football. Silly question, as there isn’t one Gambian boy who isn’t football crazy. I then walked to the car and got out some football stickers and minties for them. One of the boys pulled one of the stickers off and put it on his shirt, a big smile spreading on his face.

As every day at the end of our run, Pa Modou, our social media king who regularly posts Facebook updates on our progress, read us all the messages of support that had come in that day. This is always a great part of our day and we laugh, uhhh and ahhh, clap and occasionally tear up when hearing the kind words send to us by friends, family and even people I have never met in person. Thank you so much and keep them coming!

We packed up and drove to our camp a little further down the road. This is where the dirt road ends and I’ll be back on pavement tomorrow. This is also the camp where I had met the three toubabs who were working on the road project when we drove up to Koina last week. The music was still blaring in the seating area under the roof and we ordered some cold colas. The camp is directly adjacent to an army base. A couple of soldiers were hanging around – one was getting his hair cut with clippers by a mate while another was polishing his heavy, black army boots. All of them were wearing fatigues matched with t-shirts or a bare chest and flip flops on their feet. And all of them looked like they could be in an ad for a gym.

I could barely stay awake during lunch. The heat had completely zapped my energy and there was no rain cloud in the sky. After eating, I retired to my room. Sleep would not come, but I lay immobile on the bed for a few hours. The team is tired and we are all looking forward to the upcoming rest day on Friday. But before then, the South Bank Road demands another 30-some kilometres tomorrow.

Hugs from our Gambian river camp,

Andrea aka Bintou, toubab, coach, crash (collecting a whole list of new names!)

Days 6 and 7 – June 30 and July 1 – The journey continues…

Posted on July 2, 2012 by andreamoritz

After the late night of our naming ceremony on the evening of my first rest day, the alarm sounded early. I got up, packed my things, cleaned and disinfected my toes and knee and then we drove back to the point where I had left off running on Thursday. We hadn’t been able to find any food in town to have breakfast, so I had a Honey Stinger waffle and was on my way on only 180 calories for the morning. For the start of a new day after the rest, I put on a fresh pair of shoes – my Mizuno Mushas. I was sleepy and worried about my blisters, but they didn’t hurt very much. Yet my knee was quite stiff and achy and still hadn’t forgiven me the fall on day one.

love4gambia 2012 Progress Map day6

It was overcast and there was a slight breeze. This helps my running a lot. We had few stops as there were fewer villages along the way, so we made good progress. The knee stopped aching about 10 kilometers into the run. All systems go!

When we did come to a village, a group of women came over to greet me and asked me how my family was. We all shook hands and they welcomed me to their village. Before I knew it we were at the half way point. In another village a boy started running with me and tagged along for a couple of kilometres wearing a smile on his face the whole time.

In another village, a young mother was out by the road holding her baby in her arms. The infant boy, Moussa, was the first baby that didn’t cry in fright at the sight of this toubab. In fact, he even let me hold him and happily tested his toothless gums on the tube of my hydration pack. Surely there was a tooth breaking through soon.

Since I was feeling relatively good and the temperature was more bearable today I decided to get an extra couple of kilometres in and finished the day at almost 32 kilometers. Over 150 kilometers had now been completed on the route to Banjul. Following some stretching and rest on the roadside, we began the long drive back to Jan Jang Bureh where we had accommodations for the night. A truck was broken down by the side of the road. We stopped to see if we could help. This is what people do in the Gambia. There was no question of driving by with the “that’s not my problem” attitude or relying on the fact that someone else will probably help. We gave the man a lift to the next village where he could find a mechanic. I then fell asleep in the car, completely exhausted, and slept until we got to our accommodation. I sat in the car while Pa Modou sorted out details.

While I was waiting, three girls came up to me carrying their exercise book and a notebook from school. One girl asked me if I liked my job. She then wrote down my answer. Next she asked me what my job was – not easy to explain to a 7 year old who speaks English as a second language. But we managed and again she recorded my answer carefully with one of the older girls and myself helping her spell the occasional word. I saw in her exercise book that her homework task was to “practice with a friend”. The girls also wanted to know my name and I told them I was Bintou.

I settled into my room and following a shower, I began drafting my blog report from the rest day. My room had air conditioning, so I was in heaven! I had not gotten very far in my writing when a voice called out: “Bintou!” I answered the door and there were my little girlfriends. I shared some of the cookies I had been munching on and we talked for a little while before I told them I had to continue working. I also wanted a nap desperately. But not 10 minutes later, they were back at the door, asking me if I wanted to join them to go to “the grave”. How could I say no to these sweet little girls? So we started walking and I again petted the dog laying lazily in the same shady spot where he’d been since our arrival. The girls took me to a graveyard to show me the tombstones. While walking, we looked for lizards, talked about monkeys, scorpions and snakes, which they apparently often see in their compound. We also talked about their favourite subjects in school. Back in the yard of our accommodation, we said our good-byes and I again said hi to the lazy dog. Then I finished writing my blog. By now the sun had set.

In order to send my blog to Marc for posting, I had to go outside so I could get a network. I put a chair on the path to my room and began the painfully slow process of logging on. The lazy dog decided it was now cool enough to move and came over to me, tail wagging. I petted him and talked to him while slowly going through the various log in steps. He began to chew the USB key that connected me to the internet and then put his front legs on my lap to come closer for more love. He licked my arms, then went around behind me, jumped with his front legs on my chair back and shoulders and then began to pull my pony tail. Playtime! When the prayers were starting to be heard from the Mosque, the dog turned in the direction of Mecca, crouched down and started howling at the sound. I am sure it was the right direction, as Kebba was turned the same way saying his prayers.

Some young boys came over to say hi and when they saw that I liked their dog they asked me if I wanted him as a present. The generosity of the Gambian people is just like that. I wish I could have taken this funny dog with the chewed off ears with me and to accept the gift from the boys, but can’t even imagine the amount of paperwork involved in something like this, so this dog will have to keep providing his entertainment to the boys right here.

The Nova Scotia volunteers had now also arrived after their teaching day and we had a late dinner together. Then I again collapsed into my bed to rest up for day six.

love4gambia 2012 Progress Map day7

On this day, we found breakfast in town and then took on the 30 kilometer drive to yesterday’s end point. Once there, I got out of the car, stretching my tight hip flexors and hamstrings. Kebba again joined me for the first part of the run and after the usual morning team photo, we set off to shouts of “To Banjul” and “Banjul calling!”. Kebba stuck with me for a whole 15 kilometers today. Then Spiderman took over and kept me company for 13 kilometers. We stopped frequently today to speak to children, to run with a group of little girls. In each village, I would greet people with “Salaam Aleikum” or “Nmumbara, nmumbara” people waved and returned the greeting. Drivers of passing trucks, cars and motorcycles, as well as the mini bus taxis that were stuffed full of people and had loads of luggage and live goats strapped to the roof, would beep their horns and give a wave.

Girl power!

I always rewarded the kids who ran with me with some candy and stopped at our car to give some to three young girls who had joined me. They then ran a little further with me and as I said my good-bye, they asked for another “sweetie” and I gladly obliged. As I turned to put the rest of the package back into the car, one of them called out: “Toubab!” and when I turned around, added: “Very good!” with a big smile on her face. It is these encounters with the kids for whom I am running that always get me through the day, no matter how tired or tight my body is starting to feel.

Some boys herding cows admired my hydration pack at another stop. One of them had figured out that I was drinking from the tube and explained this to his friends in Wolof. I only guessed at what he was saying because he was pointing and gesturing. So, I decided to give them a demonstration, took a deep draught from the tube and then spat the water on the ground. The crowd erupted in laughter and I had to perform my trick a few more times.

While on the road today, the guys picked up a woven grass mat and a small stool from an old man selling his wares by the roadside. Now I have a place to sit when I change my socks and shoes partway through the run and a better place than the floor mats from the car to lay down and rest after the run as well as to do some stretching. As I did so today, a group of children kept calling out to me, waving from a short distance away. Since they kept calling and smiling, I thought I’d walk over and say hello. This again prompted one little girl to run away crying. The scary toubab strikes again!

I am now over 180 kilometers into the run and will reach the half way mark before the conclusion of tomorrow’s run. We are now settled into our accommodation and I cleaned up with a bucket shower, as there is no bathroom in my room. The bucket shower is just a stall in the courtyard with a corrugated metal roof and a drain in the floor. A man brought a bucket of water and a cup. I poured water over me, soaped myself, and then poured more water to rinse off. When I came out of the shower, the boys were all sleeping outside on the porch in front of our rooms. They work hard keeping me fed, running with me and looking after me! Next we had lunch and I will now try to nap a little to help my body recover. So much more running ahead…

Hugs and kisses,

Bintou

Day 4 June 28 – Over 100 kilometers done!

Posted on June 30, 2012 by andreamoritz

We once again rose early to beat the heat. There had been more rain during the night, so the morning felt relatively cool, albeit not in my room, where there was no power and thus no fan. I got dressed, tended to the cuts on my hands and knees and then taped my blistered feet the way my friend Henri had taught me. Then I waited for the guys to pick me up.

love4gambia 2012 Progress Map day4

6:00 a.m. came and went, but there was no sign of the guys. I lay down on the bed, waiting and resting. I was feeling tired and dozed off a bit. 6:30 a.m. and still no sign of the guys. I began to wonder what may have happened to them, as they are usually punctual. At just before 7:00 a.m. there finally was a knock on my door. Pa Modou explained that the gate to the guest house had been locked and that he’s been trying to find a way in for the past hour. Agghhh! There was one hour of relatively cool weather gone and one more hour to run in the heat. But it is what it is, so no use worrying about it.

To make up for lost time, I skipped making my coffee and we quickly picked up a few bottles of water in Bansang and were on our way. I typically drink a 1.5 litre bottle of water from the moment I get up until we reach the start point of the day’s run. While running, I drink 4 litres of water from my hydration pack and another 4 litres of Gatorade from the bottles in the truck. After the run, I drink at least 3 more litres of water throughout the afternoon and evening. That is a total of nearly 13 litres of fluids a day! Strangely, it doesn’t feel like I am forcing it down, but the body wants and needs that much liquid given that I am always sweating.

To save time, I ate my breakfast sandwich wrapped in news print in the car while Pa was driving at top speed to our starting point. I also mixed the Gatorade bottles and filled the hydration pack while we were driving – every minute saved was a minute less under the brutal sun. When we got to the starting point, I handed what was left of my sandwich to Pa, put on my shoes, and then, with Kebba by my side, starting running down the road.

We had once again given a lift to a school girl who we saw in town while buying bread. Upon climbing into the truck, she mentioned that it was a cold morning today. I laughed. The temperature felt bearable, but I sure wouldn’t characterize it as cold!

My hamstrings felt a bit tight and I was beginning to feel that my legs had been doing some work over the course of the last few days, but I soon got into a rhythm. The first 10 km went by relatively quickly, especially since we had a landmark to celebrate when getting there – after running 30 kilometers each day for the last 3 days, the 10 kilometer mark today would mean a total of 100 kilometers done! 324 kilometers left to go toBanjul, but I don’t think of it that way – too scary! Instead I take it day by day and one kilometre at a time.

We stopped to write 100 km in the sand by the side of the road and posed for photos before running on. A few kilometres further down the road, we were met by a vehicle carrying a group of volunteers from Nova Scotia who are here to teach the water program at schools. These volunteers spent a few weeks travelling from school to school talking about the importance of clean water for health, as well as about water scarcity and conservation. Stephanie, Lauren, Katie and Pam, as well as Lamin and Oumie– the Gambian project leaders – cheered me enthusiastically. We stopped to chat and a few villagers came out to see what all the fuss was about. We all shared stories for a while and then it was time to keep going. The sun was getting stronger and the temperature was rising. The dreaded heat was coming back to full force and the going was getting tougher.

When we reached Bansang, a few boys started running with me and one boy, Muhammed, began to ride beside me on his bicycles. We soon left the runners behind, but Muhammed stuck with me, later joined by another boy on a bike who was delivering bread to the next village. I got the usual raised eyebrows and looks of disbelief along with an “ouiiiii” sound when I told them I was running toBanjul. A little later, when I stopped at the truck for some nutrition, I shared my Honey Stinger waffle with the boys and then they went on their way.

They guys had picked up a block of ice in Bansang, which I now needed to cool my core temperature down. I would take occasional breaks in the shade of a tree and rub ice on my neck, face, legs and arms. The guys also pour ice water over my body, which feels heavenly, but has one giant draw back: my shoes and socks get soaked and even though I put on a fresh pair of my Mizuno Ronins as well as dry socks part way through the run, these only stay dry for a short period of time. Blisters the size ofTexashad started forming on my toes and the tape had rubbed off. We’ll have to refine the cool down technique over the next few days.

The last few kilometres were tough but after 3 hours and 2 minutes of running, we had covered the distance of 19.24 miles. If you wonder why I don’t run an even 19 miles or 30 kilometers: I usually carry on past 19 miles until I reach the next big tree that will spend shade, so I can escape the sun. There also has to be some kind of landmark that will allow us to easily find the spot where we left off, so we can resume the run the following day.

I got into the shade, drank, grabbed the ice block and enjoyed the cold water running over my body. I stretched and then lay down on the car floor mats the guys had put out for me and elevated my legs on a tree trunk. I was hoping none of the black scorpions, of which I had seen a dead one lying on the road earlier, would be hiding out in the leaves where I was lying. Apparently they are often out and about after the rains and their stings are excruciating. When I asked Kebba the question if one may be hanging out here he said empathetically: “No, no,” and then he added: “Probably not.””. Ha – not very reassuring! We had a good laugh.

Spider than came over and gave my legs and shoulders a massage as I was lying down relaxing. Wow, that felt great! Then it was time to head back to the guest house, shower and eat.

The kids that are part of the extended family came over to ask me about my run and my morning. We talked for a while. I learned more about Saikou, the boy who already told me about his father’s death. He proudly showed me his Red Cross first aid certificate for a course he had completed and told me he wanted to be a doctor. Then he pulled another paper out of his file and handed it to me. It was his father’s death certificate, which he had been given at the hospital the night his dad passed away. It showed that he was admitted to Bansang Hospital with severe abdominal pain and that he died later that night of a peptic ulcer. He must have been in severe pain for some time even before being admitted to the hospital and the thought of someone dying from a stomach ulcer is simply inconceivable in our word, but here this is an everyday occurrence. Medical care and equipment are scarce and many people die of completely preventable and/or treatable disease. I once again appeal to you to open your wallets and to donate. Every little bit helps to make a difference and to save lives. If only you could see first hand how much of a need there is and how appreciative people are of the assistance that is provided so they can help themselves.

I had my iPad on the table and they asked what it was. I gave them a demo – showed them that I can put hundreds of books in this little machine, played them some music, showed them my Facebook page and email, then took our photo and finally shot a little video of us, which we played back to peals of laughter.

One of the girls, Sajou, then went off to do her laundry. Later, Saikou made us some green tea – a strong concoction sweetened with loads of sugar. The sugar is mixed in by pouring the tea from one glass to the other and back again several times until there is foam on top of the tea. It was delicious.

Later in the afternoon, the volunteers from Nova Scotia returned, as did the team. We shared more stories. Spider had done the cooking – two chickens we met in a village along the way weren’t as lucky as the one the other day. They ended up in Spider’s pot and were enjoyed along with some chips and a turnip/mashed potatoes mix. Spider is a great cook and will be feeding us all the way to Banjul.

The guys all do a multitude of things – from running with me to organizing logistics, buying food, water and internet time, massage, entertainment, translation services, transportation and so much more. No ask is too much and they insist on doing things even if I tell them it is not necessary or can wait until tomorrow. They really are the best team one could ask for.

It was time for the soccer match, but the power had not yet come back on. When it finally did come back, Germany was already 1:0 behind. I had painted everyone’s faces with face paint in the colours of the German flag – kids, Nova Scotia volunteers, the team (including Pa Modou, who is a staunch England supporter) and even Fatty, the master of the house who was still dressed in the traditional Muslim clothing he had worn to the Mosque for prayer. Yet, the Azzuri prevailed.

I stayed up late after the game, socializing and then reading for a while. Tomorrow was my first rest day, so I could sleep in and relax. Another great day in the Gambia!

Andrea

World AIDS Day with youth: Never let anyone tell you that you can’t

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Erin Poirier

Post by Erin Poirier, Halifax, NS

I marked World AIDS Day on December 1 by giving 2 presentations to the student bodies at Prince Andrew High School (where I work) and Dartmouth High School, with the NSGA’s Muhammed Ngallan. Muhammed and I met in The Gambia 4 summers ago when we worked on the NSGA Peer Health Education project together. It was pretty special for us to be in front of youth again. To share the stage together, this time in Canada with Canadian youth.

We had an amazing day and the youth were amazing. We showed them my Love4Gambia Radio Documentary, which you’ll find at the end of this post. Then we each spoke to them.

I had a few rough notes in front of me to keep myself on track, mostly to ensure that I didn’t get carried away and eat up all of Muhammed’s speaking time. Before hand, I pulled what I wanted to say from my blogs and put it together so that I could share it with you here. So here it is.

When Muhammed and I finished speaking, many youth wanted to talk to us individually. Two youth stood out for me.

The first was a shy girl. She spoke so quietly that I could barely hear her.

“Thank you for talking about how a woman can achieve anything,” she said. “I want to do a career than usually men only do. I want to be a paratrooper. People tell me that I can’t because I’m a girl. So thanks for saying that I can do it.”

The second girl was not at all shy. She demanded.

“Who is the father of your baby?”

I laughed.

Word AIDS Day Love4Gambia Speech

December 1, 2011

Since I’ve returned home from The Gambia, I’ve spoken to a lot of people about my run and my team. Most people ask, “How did you actually do that? How did you actually run all the way across a country?”

I don’t really have an answer other than I trained really hard. I was really, really determined. And I really, truly believed that I could do it. That’s what I want to talk to you about today. We’re lucky to have Muhammed with us; he’s going to talk about The Gambia and HIV in The Gambia for us while I talk about the run. For most of this, you don’t have to be runner to understand it.

A friend listened to this radio documentary on the day that it played on CBC radio and then said to me, “oh, it made your run sound so easy.”

Maybe this is the case, I don’t know. I can only look at the run and listen to this documentary having been the girl who actually ran it and I’ll tell you, it was far from easy. But this was just a 25-minute snapshot, it’s not the whole story.

This summer, there were never any moments where I thought that I would give up but it was far from easy. I always knew, or I guess believed, that I would make it but there moments were it was hard.

I ran 424 km
I was running 25km/day: more than a half marathon
In units of time, I was running 2.5 hours a day but 25 km took longer than 2.5 hours. We rested 90 minutes at the 20km mark. I stopped every 20 minutes to drink more water at our truck. So in total, our running day was 8am to 1:30pm.
Our motto was Eat, Sleep, Run

The heat:

This is the first think that I want to touch on that I had to deal with; that made it so that the run was not easy. It was HOT. It was 38 degrees every single day and 42 degrees on many. The heat never impacted my running performance because I chose not to let it.

Sometimes after I explain this, people will say, “oh, so the heat wasn’t that bad.” I explain that that wasn’t it at all. It was very hot; 42 degrees is very hot. It’s 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit. It was so hot that 2 pairs of my sneakers melted.

I couldn’t do anything about the heat. I had a 25km goal each day, regardless of the air temperature. I had no control over the heat. But I did have control over how I responded to and dealt with the heat. I coped with the heat by not even considering the heat. I never, ever considered that the heat might cause me to stop running because there was so way I was going to stop running. Stopping was never in the realm of options.

Managing 42 degree heat was all about being strong. The human body will allow you to be strong enough if you will it to be strong enough.

The people who would say to me, “I could never run in that heat,” they are wrong. They could. The human body can do it. I think that they’ve just never put themselves in a situation where they are determined to reach their goal, no matter what.

Besides the heat, I had to get through a lot of other challenges including the South Bank Road, my legs and setbacks.

Setbacks happen in running as in life. You need to be prepared for them. For me, for my team, the remarkable days were the ones that were unremarkable.

Here are the setbacks I face: I didn’t always want to run

Day 5: guts turned on me during the raining, spam saved the day.
Day 6: km markers appeared. I had run 150km already= awesome! But 280km to go, not so awesome
Day 7: my setback was emotional, not physical. Emotions were stronger. Happy was happier. Sad was sadder.
Day 9: poisoned myself with water and ran 25km anyway
Day 15: no food. Skin bleeding and no Brikama at 26km
Day 16: traffic tried to end our life by swallowing us up, see here

(read more about what I talked about in detail in this blog titled “How to be Strong”)

Being a Woman

Being a woman has been a dominant theme of my running days. I anticipated this but not to the extent that it played out. I expected that my running expedition would exhibit female athletic ability and facilitate breaking down gender barriers in endurance sport participation for women. I knew that this was a male dominated society. Women in The Gambia are not political leaders. They are not athletes. To many men and women, I was an oddity.

When we meet people, Pa Modou and Kebba would proudly introduce me as the runner who is running from Koina to Banjul. The person would look at me a say, “Her?!” They were never able to hide their disbelief. In fact, I’m pretty sure they didn’t even try. Most often, they would follow this up with, “Well, how can a woman do that?” Or “I can’t believe a woman can do that.”

Pa Modou and Kebba would reply, “Yes, she can, she is very strong.” I told these people that I’d see them in Banjul. They knew that wouldn’t believe it until I actually did it.

In the end, reaching the shores of the Atlantic, 424km from Koina, wasn’t even enough. On day 16, Spider’s coworkers came to watch us run. We ran passed these guys and waved at them. When Spider returned to work, these men interrogated him.

“Is she really a woman?”

”How do you know? Have you seen her woman parts?”

Even after seeing me their with own eyes, they doubted that I was actually a woman because of my athletic ability. For these Gambian men, it was easier to believe that I was actually a man.

I met one of Pa Modou’s football teammates after the run ended.

“I’ve been waiting to see you,” he said, “Can I see your legs?”

I’m not sure what he expected but he seemed a disappointed with my sinewy calves.

Ashley and I were on the news on the eve that our plane arrived in The Gambia, before we traveled to Koina to begin the run. The news is very important and if a Gambian owns or can access a television, they tune in. A number of people would approach Ashley and I on the street. They would look at Ashley and say:

“I saw you and that man on tv.”

‘That man’ would be me. I do not look like a man. But it was so hard for Gambians to believe that a woman could run all the way across the country. It was easier to just believe that I was a man.

Meeting your goals and dreams:

A lot of people thought that I was crazy and didn’t think that I would make it to the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, when I got home in August, people would say to me, “I didn’t think that you make it.” I would want to reply, “Thank you, I also don’t think that you are going to achieve your life goals.” But I wouldn’t.

The thing was, it didn’t matter what they thought or what they believed. I made it to the ocean only because I believed that I could do it. My belief was the only one that mattered.

And it put in the hard work to make my goal, my dream happen. I didn’t make it 424km across a hot African country by sitting on the couch. I made it by training and running 6 days a week for 7months. Hard work, preparation and belief in yourself are how you make dreams happen.

That’s my message for you, my high school students. You are the beginning of your lives. If you have a dream: be it to go to university or NSCC, to become an artist, to become a mechanic and own your own garage, become a famous mathematician, become a better athlete, run across an African Nation… You put in the hard work to prepare. You don’t just sit on the couch hoping or waiting for it to happen- you put in the hard work. You believe really hard that you can do it and you don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t. The only person who can tell you that you can’t is yourself. So you go out there and you make it happen just like I did and don’t EVER let anyone tell you that you can’t.

Guest Blog: “Becoming a Gambian”

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Erin Poirier

I’m thrilled to bring you a guest blog post by Allison Reeves this week. Allison is a PhD student in health communication and was one of four NSGA interns that worked in The Gambia on our Gender Equity and Youth Leadership through Health and Human Rights Education project in July and August of this year. She was stationed in Bansang, a community that Kebba and I ran through on Day 5 of our Love4Gambia run.

The following is a letter to home that she wrote from The Gambia. It’s a beautiful read that captures the essence of what it is to work and live in The Gambia.

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August, 2011

Hi everyone!!!

Sorry it’s taken me so long to write but I have very limited access to the Internet and phone and I’ve been very busy becoming a Gambian. It’s been soooo nice to be unplugged from everything and so I’ve been avoiding technology.

It will be virtually impossible to describe my last 24 days here—it feels like I’ve lived a lifetime in such a short time span, and in the mean time my reality has been turned on its head. Coming back to “real life” in Toronto will definitely be a shock and I’m a bit
anxious about it.

I’ve been so happy here in Bansang, a small-ish community deep in The Gambia. Our hotel is right on the Gambian river and I swim regularly in it, despite its often sketchy brown-ish look. Our hotel is run by a family and is adjacent to the extended family compound. Many families here are polygamous but ours isn’t; the hotel is owned by a husband and lone wife (Ibrahima & Bintou), and in the compound lives an uncle and aunt (Mamoud & Sainey) and their five children (Ibrahima, Mbinkindy, Pabi, Backaray & Dodo), a few stray cousins (Lamin, Lamin, Seikou & Sana) and a grandmother (Dodo).

The couple who runs the hotel spent 35 years living in Paris (another interesting story for another day) and the husband has been visiting their grown children and grandchildren in Paris for most of my stay here. I’ve become very close with his wife, Bintou, in his absence, and have been speaking French every day with her. The family speaks Mandinka, the tribal language of Bansang and area, and I’ve been picking up bits and pieces here and there. The children in our compound study English in school so they love practicing English with me.

I thank the Creator/God/Allah/Universe for my French every day as it has resulted in me becoming quite close with Bintou and she has able to act as a cultural translator for me, which has made my experience so much more rich than other volunteers who only speak English. Since I started traveling abroad during high school, I have used my French in virtually every single place I have traveled (including Peru, Europe, India and twice in Africa). I’m so grateful my parents insisted on us being in the French immersion programme.

Here are some examples of my Mandinka:

Sumo lei? Ibi-jay! (How are you? I’m fine.)

Courtonatay? Tana tay! (Family is good? Yes; they’re fine.)

Etodung? Alli-Sana Fatty (my Gambian name—Ali is funny to them since it’s a man’s name here; Sana is the name of one of my “sisters” in the compound who insisted I take her name—ironically it is the same name given to me by a friend I met in Morocco—and Fatty is the family surname, which is how everyone is acknowledged in the community.)

A canadian on a donkey taxi in The Gambia, Africa

Taking a taxi with the family

It’s been such a pleasure living with the family- every day after work I’m greeted by a soccer team’s worth of kids at the house, who all want to jump on me, shake hands, play, teach me Mandinka words and practice English. I’ve also joined in family eating out of a communal bowl, I’ve pounded millet, learned to clean fish, washed my laundry by hand in the river, taken my turn carrying their infant girl Dodo on my back, and other practices of daily living.

Everything is family-centered and the concept of being alone is virtually non-existent. I’ve taken to sleeping outside under a bug net because the bedroom is too hot and although we have fans, the power in the city shuts down around 2am. After the first few nights waking up soaking in sweat I decided I needed a new plan. Over time my outside mattress has become a new hang out place for the kids and myself and I’ll often have one or more of them sleeping in my bed in a given night.

Most families here are Muslim and I’ve seen such a beautiful representation of this faith among the people here. They are so peaceful, loving and kind and they love their faith and are very gentle in their practice of it. I’ve also joined in prayers once and found it relaxing and enjoyable. It’s reminded me I have to get back to my meditation practice. It’s currently Ramadan and everyone is fasting but they don’t mind if the “Toubabs” (white folks) eat before sunset.

a canadian health volunteer and a Gambian student in Africa

Allison and a Peer Health Educator

Work is also going well. I’m teaching sexual health to youth aged 13-18 (ish) in a summer school programme through the Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA), an NGO funded by CIDA (Cdn International Developmental Agency). Each school in the Gambia has a team of “peer health educators”, of which 5 from each school in this area (25 schools) were selected. There are 5 classes of students who rotate through my room, which is an open-concept classroom with bars over windows rather than panes, no lights and definitely no air
conditioning!

Topics include reproductive anatomy & function, fertilization & reproduction, STIs, HIV/AIDS, UTIs, infertility, abortion, menstruation, gender, equality, decision making, healthy relationships, female circumcision and others. The female circumcision and polygamy topics have been a bit daunting and I’ve asked a Gambian instructor to join the class for these discussions since I’m so painfully biased…and it has necessitated me leaving the class to use the “washroom” on occasion where I will lay on a sole couch in the staff room with a book over my face and tune out the horrifying stories of female circumcision related by the Gambian instructor to the students. Generally all are aware of the negative health outcomes associated but the deeply held tradition acts as a serious barrier to change. But the practice is slowly getting fazed out, quicker among some tribes than among others.

Overall, teaching is fun and I’m greeted in the morning with lots of “Good Morning, Miss Alli!!!”’s, hand shakes, hand slaps and various other tricks we’ve created over the weeks. The students are, for the most part, eager to learn and are literally a million times better behaved than Canadian students. When they do speak out of turn I’ll give them a stern look followed by a wink & smile and that seems to do the trick. They have some difficulty with my Canadian English and so writing things on the board tends to help. Also I can always hook a Gambian teacher or one of the senior students and bring them into the class to translate into “Gambian English” if required.

I’ve learned so much about teaching, learning and cross-cultural relations—I can’t even go into it all here, as it would be like a thesis onto itself. Every Friday we have “open day” at the school where students come together in the assembly hall and we have games, fun quizzes, singing, dancing, drama and debating. They get soooo engaged in this day and everyone loves to participate. They absolutely love when a Toubab becomes “Gambian”, in speech, behaviour, etc., so I’ve had some fun on open day getting on stage and playing around with them a bit. When I started dancing the Gambian dances I’ve learned at home their jaws dropped and then they went absolutely nuts over it. It was so funny! There’s one other Canadian here too but it’s typically me who is the one making an ass of myself.

At our school site, we work only with male teachers and male NSGA staff. It has been so remarkable to work with these amazing men, who are fighting against gender inequalities, female circumcision and violence against women. Yet another reminder that one need not have group membership to care about injustices facing that group, a topic I’ve discussed at length in my PhD dissertation.

This week, my Gambian co-teacher, Mamadi, has shared personal stories with the students about his marriage: that he had a love marriage (rather than arranged), that he adores his wife, that they never fight, that he helps her cook and clean and that he sings and dances for her to make her happy. It is so touching to see smiles curling up the students faces and giggles among the girls upon hearing this disclosure of love (a very rare thing!). Many of these relational behaviours between husbands and wives are alien in this culture, yet another reason why the work of this organization is so important.

a canadian in The Gambia with her new Gambian family

Allison and her sibings: Mbinkindey, Sana & Backaray

Despite my bias against some of these types of cultural phenomenon, the are many very special features in Gambian culture as well. For instance, it is known as the “Smiling Coast of Africa”, a statement that is absolutely true. I have never met such friendly, happy people in my life. Everyone on the street wants to say hello, ask our names, welcome us to the country, offer us food and drinks, etc. All the children follow us yelling, Toubab! Toubab! And when they catch up to us they sort of just stand there and stare with a sheepish smile on their faces. The most courageous of the bunch extends a tiny hand and then giggles with glee after we shake it. Our students also want to touch our Toubab skin, play with our Toubab hair and our Toubab clothes.

Aside from friendliness, there are other incredible aspects of Gambian culture. For instance, they also say it is better to be poor in the Gambia than in the West, due to the phenomenon of “social immunity”, as described by one of my co-workers. He says that even a poor man is guaranteed three meals a day because people here can literally knock on any door in town and be welcomed in for a meal. There is no such thing as refusing a request for food or shelter. The community cares for itself and few are left on the margins (I’ve only seen one person in the community who appears to be in abject poverty, and this was likely due to his having mental health issues—he wore a big winter coat and hat in the dead of the heat and wandered around mumbling to himself). Another example is that children of extended family members can be raised by any family member who is able to support them. For instance, access to education might be improved by moving in with an aunt, as is the case in our compound. I mentioned that there are a few cousins living in our compound who visit their birth parents on holidays or weekends but ultimately enjoy a more positive life living and working at the hotel for the summer and attending school in Bansang during the school year.

With respect to my way of life here, it has also been such a blessing to be living closer to the earth, using my hands to make things (rather than solely for typing), living within a cycle wherein virtually no waste is created, playing outside and making our own fun, away from AC, TV, video games and the Internet, as well as learning local songs, games and customs.

I’ve also enjoyed discussing important issues that affect Gambians with my co-workers, who are deep in the fight against HIV/AIDS, gender discrimination (including mainstream domestic violence), forced child marriage among girls (12 yrs-15 yrs) and other issues. There is an amazing shift in the country as we speak and I’m in an incredible position to bear witness to this change. Among the students we teach I can already see many bright lights appearing as strong, intelligent, mature and sensitive girls and boys who will grow through programmes like this summer school and bring about a new Gambia.

Looking forward to sharing more when I return.

Love, Alli-baba

You can learn more about the Nova Scotia-Gambia Association and the project that Allison worked on here

My Support: Kebba, Pa Modou + Ashley

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Erin Poirier

My July 3 departure for The Gambia is quickly approaching and my mind has been racing, thinking about the challenging physical feat I have ahead of me. I’m not worried about actually completing the 430km running expedition, I know that I’m fit enough to do it. I’ve been thinking most about how I’m going to feel mentally and spiritually while trying to complete it. The mental challenge is the greater unknown.

Lots of people have been asking me if I am nervous and these kind people here in Nova Scotia have been giving me the same advice when I admit to being nervous about mentally holding it together for 17 half marathons in 40 degree heat. They all say, “Think about the people you are helping; the kids; the people who have HIV and would love to feel that blister on your foot” etc. This is nice and helpful because it’s nice. But if you’ve ever been in a long running race, you know that your brain can be a wild animal, not so easily tamed into focus by pre-planned imagery. There are no mental focus guarantees.

But I do have one guarantee: my support team.

I will be surrounded by the best possible support team a girl could ask for. They will become unbelievably important to me at 5:30am on day 12 when it’s 41 degrees, I’ve run 300km already, my legs hurt everywhere and I don’t want to. They will see that I continue. They will feed me. They will mix my Gatorade and water me. They will find my tired body a place to sleep each night. They will photograph me for you at home. They’ll help me if I’m suffering and feeling low. They will patch me up, drug me up and put my pink shoes back on my feet so I can run another day.

They will be so important to me that I think it’s important that you know who they are:

Pa Modou Sarr is our logistics man. We met in 2007 when I was volunteering with the NSGA in The Gambia. He has several critical roles. Most notably, he’s in charge of our lodging and our food and water. He’s also bringing along the NSGA office’s photography equipment and will lead this part of the expedition.

Momodou M. Sarr, aka Pa Modou, was born on October 1, 1982, in The Gambia. Pa Modou’s parents were teachers and he went to several different primary schools as his parents transferred to different schools. Pa Modou graduated from Essau Senior School on the north bank of the Gambian River, just past the ferry port town of Barra, in the Lower Niumi District.

View Larger Map

At the University of The Gambia, he studied computer studies (IT, certificate and diploma) and also holds a certificate in journalism. Pa Modou is a trained media personnel in radio, audio and video production. He has worked with the NSGA in The Gambia since 2003 holding many positions from drama trouper, associate coordinator to assistant coordinator, trainer and media assistant.

Pa Modou is a footballer and plays football (soccer) and basketball. He loves making friends and would love to answer questions from anyone.

Pa says that it’s been very exciting imagining the run happening and that he “just can’t wait to see it all on.” Aside from the excellent logistical support that I’ll get from Pa Modou, I’m so lucky that he is an athlete. As I wrote here, I’ll be running 25km in 2 runs each day: a 20km run and a 5km run. Pa Modou has offered to run the second 5km with me every day. This is awesome. I’ve done 25km in 2 runs in training a few times. The second 5km is physically easy, it’s just 5km. However my brain usually doesn’t want to begin running again. Having Pa next to me should make starting again easier.

Pa Modou was pleased to be officially introduced as a support team member for expedition and wrote: “Love4Gambia Run!!! YES WE CAN!“

Kebba Suso is the next member of my 3 person-team. He will be our driver and will help Pa Modou with food and lodging.

Kebba was born on March 25, 1966 in town call Bwiam in the western region of The Gambia. He went to school from 1976 to 1986 in this same town. We will run through Bwiam on day 14 & 15.

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Kebba, his 3 sons + Jakob Conrad

Kebba writes that he and his wife Jai are blessed with three sons. His eldest, Lamin is 15 year old. Saikouba, the middle boy is 13 years old and the youngest, Sheikh is 11 years old. Kebba and Jai live in Brikama, 30 km from the NSGA office. All 3 boys attend school in Bwiam where they stay with Kebba’s mother. The boys come home to Brikama every weekend and for holiday.

Kebba works with NSGA as a driver. He loves running and playing chess. Kebba has been training since November to join me for portions of my 20km run every day. This is going to be an incredible help to me.

While writing this blog post, my online conversation with Kebba was supposed to be all about him. Yet, he still squeezed in a “We proud of you, Erin,” like he always does. In that lovely statement, you see what kind of man Kebba is.

See more of Kebba here, in a new video from Gambia.

Kebba also wrote a blog with me about The Gambia’s South Bank Road, which you can read here. The road is probably team member #4!

Ashley and I relax in The Gambia

The last member of my 3-person team is my girl Ashley Sharpe. Ashley and I volunteered together in The Gambia in 2007 and holidayed together in Senegal when our work was done. This volunteer experience was a really important part of both of our lives and we’ve remained friends since. Ashley is an emergency room nurse and she’ll be my medical support.

Ashley grew up on the rural Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, in the community of Moser River. She is an adventurous soul and just returned from the North West Territories where she was working to make some extra cash because neither of us are getting paid for the month of July. Ashley loves to travel and loves nursing overseas and plans to volunteer with Nurses Without Borders in the future. She says this desire stemmed from our summer in The Gambia.

Miss Erin + Miss Ashley

In 2007, she became “Miss Ashley” to Gambian students and says she saw firsthand the difference NSGA makes. She has worked with the NSGA from that point on, serving as volunteer coordinator for the past two years and board of director since January. Ashley says that she fell in love with West Africa when she was there, and never felt ready to come home. She’s been waiting for 4 years for an opportunity go back and see the smiling faces she left behind in 2007. This is her chance.

International travelers can encounter numerous medical issues and then there’s a host of problems that can occur during distance running. Combine these, and factor in extreme heat and humidity, and you see how critical medical support is for this running expedition. I’m in the best hands possible with Ashley.

My sports dietitian Janna Mackay has developed a comprehensive nutrition plan for me: this much fluid, this much carb, this much protein during each part of my day: 20km run, 2 hour recovery, 5km run, 2 hour recovery, rest of day. I’ve put this plan into Ashley’s competent hands and know that she, Pa Modou and Kebba will force this food and fluid into me, whether I like Gatorade or not after litre #65!

I’ll be relying on Ashley for more than keeping me hydrated and making sure I don’t get sick and die. She’s my friend. She’ll be my emotional support.

So folks, that’s the team that will deliver me safely home, 430km to Banjul. Have some words of support for them? Please take a moment to share them!

Love4Gambia

A Nova Scotia-Gambia Association run across The Gambia to keep kids and communities alive through health education

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