What do we do?
Global sustainability work and the utilization of functional materials
Give back strives for global sustainability work on a small scale by coordinating various services and utilizing various healthcare products that are no longer in use, along with those that are to be discarded but still in good condition. We want to send this to hospitals and other institutions in need. Our starting point is Gambia, our vision is to expand into other African countries in the future.
Orphanage
Offer quality of life - one orphanage at a time
A little harsh, you could say that there are two types of orphanages in Gambia. There are those who are sponsored by large, international organizations that send in money, contribute with structure and are often guided by international rules and routines. Then there are the small orphanages that are created by a good Samaritan taking on one or two children, after which the rumor goes and more children are dropped off outside his door until it becomes an orphanage. But here there are no rules, no structure and above all no money.
The children have no guarantees, no security and can, for example, spend their time at the local tip to look for food for the day. We take care of one orphanage at a time, provide basic things such as food for the day and clean clothes. Read more about what you can do for Gambia's orphanages in the Webshop .
Psychiatry
Support psychiatric hospitals
At Gambia's psychiatric hospital, about 100 people are cared for with various diagnoses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders, psychoses but also depression, dementia and alcohol and drug problems.
We want to help hospitals with further training of staff and to buy the large diagnostic books ICD-11 and DSM-5. Further training of the staff can take place with volunteer workers who have a background in this area. Hospitals also need access to medicines and consumables such as wound dressings, disinfection, hygiene items. Computers and printers are also substandard. Those computers also need a medical record system for the patients who are admitted. Read more about what you can do for Gambia's psychiatry in the Webshop .
Schools
Support schools for grades one to six
We have chosen to support a number of schools in rural areas. The schools have an average of 425 students from grades 1-6. Parents must pay school fees every semester, school uniform and school lunch. The school material that the teachers use consists mostly of large sheets of paper where you write down what you learn and put it on the walls. Sometimes an entire class has to share a couple of textbooks for financial reasons.
We collect money so that all children have the opportunity to eat a meal at school every school day and to help with school materials so that all children get a good start in life with reading, writing and counting. We expect to be able to expand our help to other schools.
We want to support the local entrepreneurship as much as possible and therefore we buy food and school materials on site in a store near the schools. Read more about what you can do for Gambia's schools in the Webshop .
Healthcare
Support healthcare facilities
Give back believes that access to adequate health care is one of the most basic needs of a human being. Despite this, it is a luxury that is rare in many places in the world. It is our ambition to be able to support healthcare facilities and staff in Gambia. For many of us, adequate health care has always been a matter of course, so we see our work to assist neglected health care as a global sustainability work.
We have experience that there is drug waste and disposal of materials and products that are still in normal condition which can make a big difference on the spot. Many hospitals in Gambia today lack medicines, consumables, hygiene items and medical equipment. Read more about what you can do for Gambia's healthcare in the Webshop .