About 25 years ago I read a book called 'Future Shock'. The author argued that the pace of change was accelerating so much throughout the 20^th Century, compared with all the previous centuries, that we could not cope with it very well, and that this was made worse by what he called a 'disposable society'. In other words, we had lost sense of the importance of looking after things, and we threw things away far too easily. The week I read it, I saw the first disposable razors on sale, which seemed to confirm his view.

I have been thinking about this a lot in the Gambia, because I am constantly amazed by Gambian ingenuity and the way in which they solve problems and recycle things, rather than throw them away and start again. So I though I would share a few examples with you – I have managed to photograph a few things, but sadly not all.

I first started thinking about this when we visited the car mechanics in Brikama, to have a roof rack made. It was fascinating to watch it being built from scratch, although a bit scary when they started drilling holes in the roof of the car to attach it! But I also wondered why Lamin put an old wheel hub in the car before we left, but all was revealed when we arrived. The mechanics added some lengths of metal, and hey presto - we had a barbeque, which has been very useful when we grill fish.

The welder attaching metal legs to the inner wheel

Our brand new barbeque being tested!

Whilst we were waiting, one of the mechanics was talking to Lamin about a consignment of light bulbs he had bought, but that they had the wrong kind of fitting (i.e. screw-in rather than bayonet). Lamin asked why he didn't change the fitting – and then proceeded to demonstrate how to remove the fitting, and re-wire the light bulb onto a different fitting, armed only with a knife and a broken razor blade! I had no idea you could even change the fitting on a light bulb, but the mechanic was so pleased he gave Lamin several bulbs, which Lamin has now converted to fit the light fittings in our house (which run off the solar battery).

Later the same day, Lamin needed to re-wire a plug to run off the generator, and since he had no insulating tape, he cut strips of plastic carrier bag to wrap round the wires instead. Another piece of electrical ingenuity I have seen (but don't try this at home!), is to use a match stick in place of the third pin on a plug.

Strips of carrier bag ready to be used as insulating tape

Palm leaves are also used for many things here. They are used for roofing houses, although with the deforestation, they are becoming increasingly difficult to find. However, I have also seen a bucket made out of a cut-down 20 litre oil container, with palm leaves plaited to make a handle, and a palm leaf impaled on a stick to make an impromptu 'windmill' to entertain children. And in the rainy season I have seen people using large palm leaves as umbrellas!

When I visited the bee farm (more about that another time), the young people harvested sesame, and put the stalks into a pile, with a large palm leaf underneath to catch the seeds as they fell. They then tied the pile together with woven palm leaves.

Tying up the sesame stacks with woven palm leaves. See the palm leaf underneath to catch the seeds.

I also saw they had used old plastic water bags (drinking water is sold in bags as well as bottles), to make little 'growbags' for seedlings.

Drinking water bags used as 'growbags'.

And of course, palm leaves are also used to make little funnels for inserting into the trees to tap palm wine – there is an intricate way to fold them, and I've tried several times (causing much amusement to anyone watching).

A little funnel made from palm leaves for harvesting palm wine.

Plastic bottles are used to collect the palm wine, and for lots of other purposes such as drinking cups, or as a funnel (with rubber hose attached), for putting petrol into the car.

I also watched Lamin and his friend Malik slice up an old inner tyre and use strips to re-attach a broken handle to a machete – I have no doubt that most of us would have got rid of both the old inner tyre and the machete and started again!

First you cut the old inner tyre with a knife.

Then you wrap the strips round the broken handle to hold both halves in place.

Lastly you wedge a knife under the strips so you can tie it all up firmly.

Things are rarely thrown away here, probably because people have very little spare money, and so they have got very good at finding creative solutions to problems. It has really made me think about how we are so quick to replace things, and we often have tools and gadgets for everything under the sun, but in reality, with a little ingenuity, we could re-use and recycle much more.