Introduction Up to date reports play a viable role in development. For partners and donors alike, the dissemination of information pertaining to projects towards which their resources are directed, keep them abreast with what their resources are spend for and also enable them to determine whether to continue with such projects or pull out it for one reason or the other. In most cases we have found out that an annual report like the one in your hand, goes a long way in motivating donors and partners alike to continue investing in needy communities as they strive toward development. I hope in this report, you will not only see the noble work done by Kingfisher Trust, but you will be able to identify the real needs of village Gambian and consider ways of coming to their aid.

The recognition and registration of Kingfisher Trust as an NGO with international status marked a turning point in the affairs of the Trust and the nature of its operation in the country. With the period 97/98 being the Trust's first year of operation as a registered NGO, we were faced with lots challenges to overcome in order to maintain our focus and live up to new status. Consequently, a plan of action was drawn for the period, which resulted in some creative approaches to the needs of the community, effective project implementations and, also greater efficiency in administration. During this period, it was discovered that a link is missing in rural development. We were able to know that the `Missing Link' is what is needed to start a process of self -reliant development, but that the local community cannot for certain reasons provide for themselves. This necessitated expansion in our operations and precipitated projects and plans that are presently being worked upon. We are now working on how to animate rural dwellers in difficult circumstances to think and work for the development of their communities. This, we believe can be a viable approach to a sustainable rural development, because once the people realize that they can do things for themselves, nothing stops them. They gradually and eventually change their community.

Since the period was more or less a time of needs identification and assessment for villagebased development programme resulting from local initiatives, most of the projects we proposed to implement were village oriented and were yet to keep off full fledge up until the time of this report.

The period in review was very eventful and challenging, and to a certain extent successful.

PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN.

One of our primary strategies for progress in striving toward our main aims is by working within a Plan of Action, and this has proved very helpful and fruitful in our work over the years. Every project undertaken during the period in review was a direct product of the content of the Plan of Action which was drawn with preference to projects within the aims and objectives of the Trust. Since the main aim of Trust is not only to work for the.

Gambians, but to work with them to promote village self sufficiency though literacy and skills development, and at the same time encouraging a healthier standard of living, most of the projects were directly involved with School, Skill Centres, Women Groups and Youth Groups which we considered to be key players in any development process. This, as mentioned early on, is due to the fact that period in review started with a plan of action to equip schools and skill centres with tools and equipments that can foster the rapid development of marketable skill, thus enhancing a sustainable human development.

OTHER PROJECTS.

Assistance to the Dairy at Niamina Dankunku and the Bansang Hospital are among some of the projects the Trust has undertaken. The Dairy at Naimina Dankunku where the Trust has donated a vehicle and other items for the running of the Dairy. And in recent months, the Trust has undertaken several other projects ranging form donation of tools / equipment and books to schools, skill centres and other community groups for skills development, to that of assisting Sierra Leonean refugees with tools that have been used for income generation. Kolior Primary school in Kiang East, is the most recent beneficiary for which we have undertaken a project to repair the school hand pump that was broken due to pressure form users. We also participated in the National Livestock Show - an annual programme organised by the State Department for Agriculture, where we displayed some of the products of few of the many schools the Trust is currently assisting. And based on that, the Trust was commended by the Vice President of The GAMBIA, as one of those small NGOs really going down to the level of the average Gambian.