The strong windstorm and heavy rainfall that hit across the greater Banjul area on Wednesday night have left many families stranded as vagaries of the weather destroyed properties and rooftops of houses and schools.

Reports gathered by The Point have it that many families have had to move in to their neighbours after their own dwelling places were taken away by the strong winds and heavy rainfall on Wednesday night.

According to our reporter, even schools were seriously affected.

Heavy windstorm on Wednesday night’s heavy rains also led to the destruction of a roof at ABC Senior School at New Jeshwang, near Ebo Town.

The school being a triune - lower, upper and senior schools, the dilapidation caused by that night’s heavy windstorm occurred at the upper and senior blocks, covering a line of toilet facilities and a part of a room believed to be the library.

The dilapidation has raised shock amongst members of the neighbourhood where the school is located, thereby raising concerns. The school’s location is prone to flooding and heavy storms.

In an interview that was published about 2 weeks ago by The Point, Anbjorg Julivssen, the founder and CEO of Butterfly Friends foundation, founder of the school, bemoaned the poor road network during the rainy season, which she said greatly hampers accessibility by students and school staff.

Thus, she urged the government to consider Ebo Town, “especially areas where our school is located. During the rainy season, children find it difficult to access the school due to stagnant water, among others.”

The school was built about a decade ago by a Norwegian non-profit organisation Butterfly Friends, which is now a household name around the community of Ebo Town and Jeshwang.

The charity had been running the school in terms of finance, providing all students with learning gear, ranging from school uniforms to books, bags and other materials for free.

However, due to financial constraints, the upper and senior secondary was surrendered to government in 2021. The founder has recently expressed to The Point hopes of taking it back, perhaps with the aim of developing it, as well as its environs.

Since the government took over the school, there has not been much progress, and the issue of poor road network and flash floods, along with similar conditions, do not look like a nightmare that the school would soon part ways with.