WHAT OUR PARTNERS SAY
SUMMA COLLEGE
A fantastic collaboration with Franco Inn! From the very first contact, they think along with us and are always willing to help. Thanks to their commitment and flexibility, our students gained an impressive and realistic insight into Gambia, its culture and healthcare system in just eight days.
For a low-budget programme, they offer an incredible level of quality, personal attention and an unforgettable experience. A reliable partner that we highly recommend for education, internships, volunteering and international study trips.
Thank you for the wonderful collaboration. We look forward to many more great projects together!
TER AA COLLEGE
A Valuable Partnership
The partnership between Ter AA College’s Health & Social Care programme and Franco Inn began several years ago through a special encounter. During a private trip to Gambia, a Ter AA teacher visited several students who were staying at Franco Inn for their internship through the College of Technology. This first contact marked the beginning of a wonderful and lasting partnership.
Since then, Ter AA has travelled to Gambia every year with a group of students from Health & Social Care and Education & Childcare for a ten-day project trip. It is an experience that often stays with students for the rest of their lives. They discover a different culture, different values and a different way of life. By approaching this new environment with an open mind, they learn not only about Gambia and its people, but also about themselves.
Each year, the programme is put together in close consultation with Eefje and Franco. Almost anything is possible. Educational activities and volunteering are combined with time for relaxation. Students enjoy the beautiful weather on ‘The Smiling Coast of Africa’, visit special places and take part in various activities in Gambia.
An important part of the trip is volunteering at local projects, which can vary from year to year. This gives students the opportunity to experience everyday life in Gambia at close hand. Valuable encounters and new connections develop. Although their contribution may sometimes be small and only for a short period, students can still make a difference to children and adults. At the same time, they receive something invaluable themselves: new insights, special memories and a broader view of the world.
Franco Inn provides a welcoming and reliable base for these trips. The accommodation offers all the necessary basic facilities and is not located in the middle of the tourist area, but in a neighbourhood where everyday Gambian life can be seen and experienced. At the same time, attractions, projects and activities are easily accessible.
What we particularly value is that we can always rely on Eefje and Franco. Agreements are honoured, and when a problem arises, there is immediate communication and a suitable solution is found together. This commitment and flexibility make the partnership very valuable to us.
Our project trips to Gambia are almost always rated 9 or higher by our students and teachers. That really says it all. We hope to continue working with Franco Inn for many years to come and to offer many more students and teachers this unique and unforgettable experience.
GO FOR AFRICA
Go for Africa Students’ Experience at Franco Inn
Go for Africa organises an annual journey and internship programme in Gambia and Senegal. Students and private participants travel together in a convoy of their own vehicles through Southern Europe, across the deserts of Morocco and Western Sahara, all the way to Gambia and Senegal. The vehicles are then donated, and the students spend several weeks doing an internship at a local school.
During their internship, students stay at various locations, including the compound of Franco and Eefje in Tanji. At Go for Africa, we have been working with this place with great trust and pleasure for 20 years.
Students often share a room with two, three or four people. Breakfast is provided every day, and meals are prepared and enjoyed together.
One of the unique features of this place is the swimming pool. Franco and Eefje also warmly welcome students who are not staying with them but would like to take a refreshing swim.
They take their responsibility for the students staying with them seriously, which is why we are happy to place students here with confidence.
HET ANDERE REIZEN
Het Andere Reizen has been working with Franco Inn for many years. From the Netherlands, they help young people and adults take part in volunteer projects abroad.
Every year, several volunteers travel to Gambia through Het Andere Reizen. They stay at and receive support from Franco Inn while contributing to a range of valuable local projects.
During their stay at Franco Inn, volunteers not only experience Gambian culture and hospitality, but also actively contribute to the local community. Depending on their interests and the support needed at the time, they may work in areas such as healthcare, education, social work or other community projects.
We are very happy with our wonderful partnership with Franco Inn and look forward to helping many more volunteers have a special and meaningful experience in Gambia!
ROC MONDRIAAN
A Valuable Partnership with the School for Healthcare in Delft
As a School for Healthcare in Delft, we work with Franco Inn to make a successful study trip for our nursing and VIG students possible. Together, we discuss and develop a varied programme in which healthcare, culture and relaxation are combined. This cooperation works very well.
During our 2025 trip, we stayed on a full-board basis at Franco Inn Guesthouse, and our students thoroughly enjoyed their stay. We felt very welcome. We enjoyed the food, and our simple but comfortable rooms were cosy thanks to their location in the beautiful garden. After gaining many impressions from healthcare in Gambia, we could relax by the swimming pool.
The team at Franco Inn supported us throughout the programme and also arranged the transport. During the evaluation, our students said they had felt comfortable and safe during all the programme activities in Gambia.
We hope to continue this study trip in partnership with Franco Inn for many years to come.