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By Anne Goldsmith

Wow!

All in one week - how did I fit it all in? My Gambian Experience of sunshine, beautiful beaches, the biggest party ever, African dancing, Kunte Kinte, schools - a life-changing experience!

Well, I still can't believe it, but I got the chance in November 2008, as Chris invited me and many of her family and friends to go to Gambia with her to celebrate her birthday.

I remember when Chris first told me about The Oasis Project, I was very interested. She had such a clear vision. Chris was very conscious of wanting to help the community in a way that would improve people's lives and change things for the future. This wasn't just a charity shop.

By Lorraine Ebanks

Empowering People through The Oasis Project

I have stepped in an out of strange worlds before, especially during the five years I spent as a flight attendant, but my week long trip to Gambia last November added a personal dimension to the experience of leaving the urbane society of London for a rustic culture in Gambia to help with an anti-poverty charity.

As the travel guides will tell you, it's easy to miss The Gambia on the map as it is Africa's smallest country only 500 km long and 50 km wide; an odd-shaped sliver of land largely encircled by Senegal. I went to visit this beautiful country not to see its sights but to help a friend, Chris Hayter, a Milton Keynes business woman, and a few of her friends with her project, empowering impoverished people in an underprivileged area of The Gambia.

The Oasis Project, has a locally run charity shop, which is a not for profit organisation. All proceeds will go directly into helping the locals of the small community in which the shop is based. Over several weeks late last year, Chris collected items such as clothes, shoes, household implements and books; items all generously donated by friends and family. These items were shipped to the Gambia to be sold in the Oasis Project shop.