Mutual Aid: Ebrima and the Conteh Family

Hi, my name is Brandon and I am looking for some help to raise Ebrima and his wonderful family out of the abject poverty they are experiencing in their home country of Gambia.

Our immediate mission is to raise funds sufficient for Ebrima to buy himself a taxi and become financially independent. This decision comes from advice I received from a Guinean expat I met whilst I was in university; he believes helping Ebrima start his own independent taxi business is one of the best ways to help him achieve a level of financial independence that will allow him to provide immediately for his family and for us to focus on a phase 2 campaign that will aim to help raise funds sufficient to help him buy land, build a home, and install solar panels to give him and his family the material security they need so his siblings can continue with their education to help provide for their family long-term.

The expected cost for Phase 1 will be AU$7500. This will cover the vehicle purchase, insurance, registration, and branding for his vehicle.

Phase 2 is expected to cost ~AU$30000, and will cover the cost of land, building a home, and equipping it with solar panels. We expect he will also be able to save some money from his business, so this amount may be less depending on his business conditions.

Phase 3 is currently being assessed for viability; the goal of which will be moving Ebrima or another member of the Conteh family to the UK to help them establish another source of support.

All funds raised will go to Ebrima and his family, I will cover platform and other middle-man fees out of my own pocket. Funds will be sent to him directly via Remitly and I will issue receipts for the transfers as they are made for funds raised through this campaign.

I have also decided to start accepting crypto donations to the following addresses and networks. Please note, these are exchange addresses so niche coin donations will land in a void never to be seen again.

BTC: bc1qdqruc5wswa04hqmmv5r3yhhzcjw2dwclnnws4q

ETH and ERC20: 0x2234B3743d5F967De39a543c9B2f06A356601543

Ebrima's story:

"Growing up in poverty has been a challenging reality for me. Unfortunately, neither of my parents had the chance to attend school, which meant they couldn’t secure stable, well-paying jobs. My mother worked as a vegetable gardener, and my father was a cleaner. They struggled to make ends meet, living paycheque to paycheque. As a result, they couldn’t afford to send all of us to school or save anything for the future. Meeting basic needs like food, electricity, clothes, and soap was often a struggle. Despite their best efforts, we remain trapped in crippling poverty.

It’s been frustrating and overwhelming, but without any other options, we had no choice but to stay hopeful and pray for better days. My dad worked tirelessly as a cleaner for 29 years before retiring and sadly passing away, but despite all his efforts, he was never able to fully provide for us. He even took on extra jobs, but it was never enough. My mom, though hardworking and loving, could only do so much with the little she earned from her gardening work. That’s why only my two siblings and I were able to go to school, but even they are struggling because we can’t afford the necessary support for their education.

The cost of living is rising; rent, food, and basic necessities are becoming harder to afford. The opportunities here in Gambia are extremely limited, and the pay, especially in teaching, is unsatisfactory. Many of us work incredibly hard but still live in deep poverty, and it’s a daily struggle just to survive.

I’ve taken on various odd jobs, like cleaning and making bricks, much like my father used to, but the pay is minimal, and it doesn’t improve our situation; leaving us to deal with the punishing cycle of poverty. My siblings also try to find work to support their schooling, but it’s tough. They can’t make their school payments, and I’m struggling to help them achieve the education they need to escape this cycle we’ve come to know all too well.

If my siblings can’t finish their education, life will remain difficult for them, and for me and my mom as well. My mom’s health is deteriorating, likely from years of exhausting work and lack of proper rest or nutrition. We need to support her now more than ever, or we risk losing her too.

This is why I’m asking you to find it in your heart to help my family. We are hoping to raise sufficient funds that will allow us to realise our dream of a more secure living arrangement; that way we will be able to focus on education and work that will give us a chance for a better future."