BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
In addition to student sponsorship and donations, we've also been able to provide long term sustainable support by assisting those in need create sources of economic support for themselves. We believe in helping people support themselves and their families, and aim to provide the assistance, tools and education to ambitious people, to help long term growth.
Gecko Flex Tours
We are extremely proud and happy to be able to support the extremely ambitious and determined Zack Gomez to create long term, sustainable support at Gecko Flex Tours.
Thanks to your support, PIFTA was able to make Zack’s dream of creating his own business, a reality! PIFTA’s support of building and marketing his website, purchasing promotional merchandise and necessary branding clothing, along with travelling around to get awesome footage, has enabled Zack to leave his hand to mouth job and start his new business which has been a great success and enables him to support his family and be in control of his own future. 🙏🏽👍🏼🇬🇲🌍
Please show your support by visiting www.geckoflextours.com
Lamin's Barber & shop & compound success
2014
In 2014, PIFTA was delighted to be able to help a very dedicated and ambitious young man pursue his dream of opening his own business. We were so impressed with his initiative, ideas and determination, so with PIFTA's support, Lamin Suwaneh managed to open his own barber shop, fulfilling his dream of supporting his epileptic mother.
2016
In 2016, we returned to find that Lamin’s business had expanded and really taken off. Through donations to PIFTA, on our trip in April 2016 we were able to supply Lamin and his shop with a more up to date playstation along with a big bundle of games and controllers. He had a vision of charging people to play games in his shop and this plan was a real success for him and has generated a more regular income than the barbing, as barbing tends to be dependant on events and ceremonies.
2017
Lamin’s infectious drive and determination comes from his desire to look after and provide for his mother, who suffers badly from epilepsy. His father passed away when he was young and he is an only child, meaning it is his duty to take care of his mum. She is currently living away from Lamin with relatives as their mud-brick compound in which they were living was destroyed by the heavy rains last summer.
On our trip in 2017, we were delighted to see that Lamin had managed to build his own compound! Over the years, Lamin has invested in his home, block by block. This was very nearly completed, and the plan is to bring his mother to live with him soon!
2019
This year, we were extremely impressed to see Lamin's finished compound AND a second shop, all achieved through Lamin's dedication, determination and sheer hard work along with a little bit of startup help and encouragement from PIFTA! He is also halfway through construction of a third shop, for his new wife to conduct hairdressing services.
With a majority of profits being spent on transport to the market for supplying his shops, this year we invested in Lamin by purchasing a basic motorcycle for cheaper transportation.
2020
A huge congratulations to Lamin and his wife on the birth of their first baby ❤️
2021
This year we visited Lamin and his family at their compound. Once again, we were extremely impressed with the progress he has made! He’s built another shop which they’re using as a hair salon, and is now renting his other shop to create passive income for life! Lamin and his wife understand the concept of paying it forward, and have taken on an apprentice in the salon. 💇🏼♀️💈
He’s also started a vegetable garden and has been rearing chickens as a new business venture. His aim is to become self sufficient, whilst also selling his goods at the market to make profit. 🌱 We also finally met his mother, who’s now living in her own compound which he has built. All of this has been achieved from originally investing in his barbing clippers and rent, back in 2014, which Lamin reinvested each year. 👏🏼
PIFTA first helped Lamin in 2014, who has since re-invested to create three businesses and has been able to build himself and his mother their own compounds! Read all about it below.
Ibrahim
PIFTA also decided to help a very deserving man, Ibrahim. Ibrahim contracted Polio when he was very young, meaning for many years, he has not had the use of his legs and has been wheelchair bound. Surviving and making your way in The Gambia is tough, but Ibrahim doesn’t let his disability stop him. He has a real determined and enthusiastic outlook on life, that really inspires us to do more. Ibrahim has used his initiative and now sells phone credit, but any profit he makes is very small. In order to do this, Ibrahim has to initially purchase the credit himself, and then try to sell it on. PIFTA purchased bulk credit for him and negotiated a better profit percentage for him with the phone carriers, whilst also supplying him material to advertise his services better.
