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Banjul, The Gambia - March 24, 2010 - The third and fourth grade students of the Banjul American Embassy School (BAES) in The Gambia learned of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on the 12th of January 2010 and decided to take action. They invited IRD The Gambia’s Country Director, Mrs. Jo Anne Yeager Sallah, to talk about the earthquake and what the Haitian people need at this critical time. Mrs. Yeager Sallah told the students about IRD’s mission in Haiti and explained that teams were already in Haiti assessing the damage, distributing flash lights, medical supplies, tents, and water. The children were especially concerned because they had just initiated a letter exchange program with children from the Haitian American Embassy School in Port au Prince and they worried for the safety of the children at that school and their families.

They organized a bake sale and poster campaign to raise awareness to show their support of IRD’s efforts.  Over $200 was raised at the bake sale and all of the proceeds were donated to IRD online by the class room teacher, Ms. Blair Cochran. The children have asked that Mrs. Yeager Sallah return in the coming months to update them on the work that IRD is doing in Haiti and how the money they raised contributed to the relief efforts.