The mission
The Don McMath Foundation provides free schooling to the poorest children who live in our catchment area.
Founded by Anne McMath in 2001, the school is called The Don McMath Foundation, and is named after Anne’s late husband, Don. Don was a teacher in Sussex, United Kingdom, until his death in 1991. We understand that we are the first and only completely free school in The Gambia. We provide the schooling, the books, the accompanying equipment, and a uniform for each student. We also cover all costs associated with the running of the school, including teaching staff, through the donations we receive.
Key Milestones
The idea & vision
Anne was already sponsoring children and helped pay for their education within the local community. After visiting some local schools, she had concerns about the education, resources and facilities available within The Gambia.
2001: The idea & vision First intake of students
Anne and Mick spoke to family and friends about sponsoring local children's education. This was the beginning and The Don McMath Foundation had its first class of 30 nursery school children which started in a rented bungalow.
2003: First students Opportunities ahead
We had reached our full capacity of 60 children and had employed four teachers at this point. With the local's support were given a plot of land approximately 2 acres by the Gambian Government. After a year of dealing with the Gambian Bureaucracy, we finally got all the paperwork sorted out and, after local men had cleared the site, we started building in December 2004. The clearing of the site was a priority as, to establish ownership, the plot had to have been cleared and a wall built around it within 12 months of receiving it.
2004: The opportunity The first school building
After a lot of fundraising, generous donations, and help from the local community we started the building work which was done by the families of the children at the school. The bricks were made by hand using sand and cement put into a mould and then left out in the sun to dry. Owing to there being no mains drainage in most of the Gambia, two huge cesspits for sewage were required and these had to be built before the main building work could be started. The team of parents worked extremely fast and, amazingly, managed to complete the main structure by 20 April 2005, a mere four months after commencement. This building had 6 classrooms, an office, and boy's and girl’s toilets.
2005: The first school building Opening
The new school opened its doors in July 2005, with the official opening ceremony taking place on 28th November 2005 in front of the charity trustees and sponsors who had travelled to The Gambia to attend.
2005: The official opening Plan for the future
The school was able to take 180 children between the ages of 5 and 10 across six classes; however, by September 2006 we had again reached full capacity and were looking at implementing our long-term goal of educating children up to the age of 17, at which point they may sit a Gambian further education entrance exam. This was an ambitious plan which needed further fundraising and donations to make it happen. We wanted to take all the children from Nursery school to Senior school.
2006: Phase 2 and plan for the future Nursery building
By September we had a new classroom block which was a smaller image of our first block. This increased our capacity to enrol up to 270 children with a further 3 classrooms, and a playroom. office and toilets. This building was officially opened on the 14th of November 2007 by The British High Commissioner, Mr Phil Sinkinson.
2006: Nursery building Sports field
With help from the parents, we managed to clear some free land next to the school and created a sports field. This has become a local football pitch and play area for the locals and a few football teams in Kotu.
2007: Sports field Allotment garden
We wanted to teach the children the importance of working hard and being rewarded for their labour. We created an allotment garden where the children had to take responsibility for their allotment. They were given seeds and had to look after their vegetables which they could take home to their families.
2008: Allotment garden established New classroom
In 2011 we completed the building of a new classroom block on the existing site for an Upper Basic School. This consists of a building incorporating six classrooms, which includes amongst others, a science room. The school teaches three years of secondary education, from ages 14 through to 17, with specialist teachers for Maths, English, Science, Social & Environment Studies as well as a range of other subjects. The Upper School opened its doors in September 2011, taking those children who have completed Grade 6 and are working towards the Gambian National Exam.
2011: New classroom building added School hall
In 2011 we completed the building of a new classroom block on the existing site for an Upper Basic School. This consists of a building incorporating six classrooms, which includes amongst others, a science room. The school teaches three years of secondary education, from ages 14 through to 17, with specialist teachers for Maths, English, Science, Social & Environment Studies as well as a range of other subjects. The Upper School opened its doors in September 2011, taking those children who have completed Grade 6 and are working towards the Gambian National Exam.
2012: New school hall 6th form college
With kind donations and support from our sponsors, we decided to fund any of our students who received good enough results and who wanted to attend further education. This has been a great success and we fund 90% of our students to be able to receive this further education.
2013: 6th form college offered to our students Hardship fund
One of the main principles of the Don McMath Foundation school was to offer the best education we could to the most vulnerable and poorest children in the Gambia. Although we are one of the few schools that truly offer free education in The Gambia by not only paying for the teachers, school uniforms, books and resources. This in itself offers challenges to the children and families we are trying to support. Some of the children come to school without having any food. The hardship fund was set up to try and support some of our children with food, medical expenses, shoes and other essentials, to try and give them the best opportunity of success as well as a safe place to learn and grow. Although we are one of the few schools that truly offer free education in The Gambia by not only paying for the teachers, school uniforms, books and resources.
2014: Hardship fund University fund established
We were approached by several sponsors about trying to allow some of our exceptional students to go to a university and gain a degree. This is a big commitment for the school and a separate fund was established to try and help fund our best students to get a degree.
2017: University fund established Ex-Students association
The ex-students of the Don McMath Foundation set up a group to help support and stay in contact with each other. They regularly attend the school and help out with some maintenance and events when they happen.
2018: Ex-Students association was formed Graduation day
Ex-students who passed their exams and had completed their further education celebrated at the school. This helped inspire the current students, teachers and sponsors.
2020: Graduation day Covid
The covid years were difficult for everyone around the world. The teachers still managed to supply work to the students to help keep up their learning. Although Covid wasn’t as bad in The Gambia, when the restrictions were lifted, the teachers and students put in extra hours to catch up.
2020: Covid University results
From our original class of 30 children, we managed to send 2 of these students to university and they all graduated.
2021: University results University fund
As of July 2023, we have 9 students at university studying for professional qualifications including Nursing, Economics, Journalism, Mechanical Engineering, Accountancy and many more. As these fees are approximately £550 a year, we have individuals or businesses sponsor individual students. We can only sponsor a student if we have a sponsor for them.
2023: University fund 20th year celebration
Sponsors joined us to help celebrate our 20th year. The students put together a fantastic program of dancing, singing and experiences they have had at being a student at the Don McMath School.
2023: 20th year celebration The future
Without our sponsors and kind donations, none of these things would have been possible. Your help has made a difference to some of the poorest children in The Gambia helping them have a safe environment to learn and follow their dreams through education.
2024: The futureOur Students
Support
University Support Fund
We prepare each student from the age of 5 to the age of 19, up to the point of University entrance, should they wish to pursue this path. For those students wishing to pursue University study but without the financial ability to do so, we have started a University Support Fund for those who wish to continue supporting their students beyond basic schooling.
Our first University Graduate was Fatoumatta Sankanu, who after being one of our very first intake students at the Don McMath Foundation in 2003 graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree in September 2021.
Learn
Sponsorship Structure
Each sponsor receives the details of the child that they are supporting in their education via email. We provide regular term updates to each sponsor on the progress of their child via email, and we encourage our network to follow us on social media to keep up to date on some of our smaller activities.
Additional funds raised through fundraising, or one-off donations allow us to complete additional projects such as renovations to the school as required, the purchasing of materials or updating school technology, or reinvesting into the University Support Fund.
Grow
Recognition
Our founder Anne McMath has been awarded a British Empire Medal for her services to education in The Gambia. In 2014, Anne was included in the New Years Honours list by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
I am Mariam Santanu, a student of the University of The Gambia School of Journalism and Digital Media I have interned at The Standard Newspaper and State of Mic Multimedia I am hardworking dedicated and always work towards building a better future for myself and my family.
My educational career started at Don McMath Foundation School. That is a blessing in my life that has shaped my life into what it is today. I would not like to imagine what my Me would have been if that opportunity never come my way
After I completed Don McMath in 2013, the school sponsored my senior school education and that of the other students who met the requirements. Coming from a school that was a second home, coping at Nusrat became a very challenging task. However, we had little or no worry when it came to the facilities we needed for our education
Being a goal-oriented person, I struggle each semester to make sure my dream of getting a degree in journalism is met. During the summer I thought all hope was lost for this semester, but I got assistance from the Don McMath Foundation which has contributed immensely to changing my life and restoring my hope that was lost. I hope someday I can return back the beautiful gesture by giving hope to someone in my current shoes.