Wonder Years Centre of Excellence (WYCE)

About us

Wonder Years Centre of Excellence (WYCE), operating in The Gambia since 2001, is a UK-registered charity and Gambian-registered NGO. We believe that education, health care and sustainable livelihoods are the key to enabling Gambians to make a better future for themselves. We aim to offer a hand up, not just a hand out.

Aims and objectives:
• To work within a system of schooling, where every child gets an equal opportunity to education
• To provide local employment opportunities
• To improve training opportunities
• To develop primary healthcare partnerships
• To develop the skills of teenagers through skills centres
• To help make The Gambia a wealthier and healthier place for everyone

Traditionally, WYCE relied heavily on the UK charity as its primary funder, but in recent years we successfully earned income in The Gambia through the refurbishment, repair and sale of bicycles as a result of our partnership with UK charity Re-Cycle. In 2017, 68% of WYCE´s income in The Gambia was earned through enterprises such as this – 32% coming from UK via donations and from lodge fees paid by visiting volunteers.

Programmes:
• Education: The WYCE school started in 2004 with 50 nursery pupils and now has expanded – through partnership with the Gambian Government - to more than 500 children aged 4-14. Over 2016 and 2017 it expanded further to include pupils up to age 16. WYCE provides a hot meal for each child in nursery and school Monday - Thursday. WYCE provides adult literacy classes for villagers – especially women - enhancing their ability to support their children’s education and to make small businesses for themselves.
• Healthcare: WYCE provides a primary health care clinic and maternity services for the community, employing a dual-qualified nurse-midwife and a community health worker. We also transfer and transport patients to the nearest hospital in an emergency. The clinic provides separate facilities for women in labour, post-natal care and for outpatients/nurse consultations, and we also have a shaded waiting area outside, to ensure privacy. We provide malaria tests and treatment.
• Livelihoods: In The Gambia, WYCE is run by Gambians for Gambians. We provide secure employment for around 25 people in the school, clinic, lodge and our income generation activities. By improving Gambians´ education, literacy, numeracy and health, we are helping the people of Madina Salam and the wider community to stand on their own two feet – so that they can get jobs or set up their own enterprises to support themselves and their families.
• Sustainable Development: We are working towards the long-term goal of making WYCE in The Gambia self-sustaining. We run a bee farm (producing honey, beeswax, soap, candles and creams), building workshop, bike sales and workshop, shop, bakery, and the working lodge. These are all designed to develop skills and provide jobs for local people, and to make money to cover the running costs of the school and clinic. Bikes have proved to be our most successful step towards self-sufficiency and sustainability. Through our partnership with UK Charity Re-Cycle, containers of donated used bicycles are sent to The Gambia, which we refurbish and sell, generating income.

Helen Cleaver is the Office Manager and acts as Secretary to the Board of the Wonder Years Centre of Excellence (WYCE).

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.