By Mr. Hamadi Vincent Bah, Denmark.
Mr. Hamadi Bah fondly Vincent, a Board member and Chairman of the Danish-Gambia Friendship Society (DGFS) based in Denmark hails from Sintet,The Gambia. Vincent is greatly involved in nation development through the DGFS, and has been working with many local communities to better their standard of living. In this documentary (Part Three), Vincent walks our readers through on some of the contributions the DGFS made in the Gambia. Also, links to part one and two included.
My organization generosity reached all the Regions in the Gambia during its 40 years existence. Containers coming to the Gambia from Gambia’s Venner in Denmark come through the Danish Gambia Friendship sister society and Red Cross in the Gambia, normally in 40 footer containers. Items in the containers includes: Medical items, educational materials, various household items, office equipment and gardening implements. The Society Gambia’s Venner is more than 41 years of existence in The Gambia, and it has been focusing in the priority areas of the Gambia populace that is health, education and agriculture.
The sponsorship program of my organization is another area where they are doing well. The society is sponsoring over 1,600 students throughout the country. The society has benefitted many public and private schools, from Day care centers, Nursery schools, Primary schools, Secondary schools, High schools, and to even tertiary level. School furniture of different types are been supplied to different schools in all the regions of the Gambia. Classroom blocks are built for three schools in the Kanifing Municipality namely: Latrikunda Sabiji Lower Basic School, Bundung Lower Basic and Bakau Newtown, each of the buildings went with complete classroom furniture.
Tertiary schools are mostly supplied with computer sets, accessories, and sewing machines. Medical items are donated to public health facilities including the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital of the Gambia and other private clinics. Donated medical items includes: kidney bowls, examination couches, delivery beds, patient beds, mattresses, bed sheets, blankets, buckets, toilet seats, uniforms, etc. Wheelchairs and other walking aids are most of the time given to the Social Welfare and some individuals or families with disabilities. Household items are mostly donated to families, individuals and centers like the old peoples’ home prisons and camps. Garden implements are given to women gardeners.
The impact of the donated items from our organization cannot be overemphasized, as it has contributed immensely in socio economic development of the Gambian people. Vulnerable families and individuals are given priority to access the society’s available facilities such as Sponsorship (paying school fees, lunch, book bills, study fees, buying uniforms and sandals).
During my follow up trip to Gambia in 2013, I told our working partners in the Gambia that, the Gambia Danish friend ship Association is now concentrating on capacity building to encourage growth and development in the community of Foni Jarrol District and henceforth Sintet have been chosen to that effect. All future assistance is now purposely for Sintet though we will complete the payments of our 16 schools sponsored students to grade 12.
In the past five years we started working with Sintet Fullakunda Association and the work included the following: Provision of safe water at the IT center through community participation. The Danish Gambia friend ship built a community base IT center to encourage people in the community and the nearby villages to learn IT to promote self-employment. The community of Sintet actively participated in the building of the IT facility and continues to sensitize the community on the importance of the IT facility in youth development. There is improvement of access to quality education for all, particularly girls. More subsistence Farming –The Sintetfullakunda community has registered key development in the areas of agriculture and education, thanks to the support of the Gambian’s Venner and the people of Denmark. Development is also felt in the following areas: 1. Agriculture – the introduction of the two power tillers have encourage many people to venture into rice cultivation and gardening. This have help reclaim lands that was underutilized and more agricultural produce for the c community. 2. The goat project recently introduced in the community by the Gambian’s Venner for women in the community is geared towards empowering them economically by involving in animal rearing. The project aims to include all women in the community. 3. The areas of education also continue to register progress. The community of Sintet now sends their children to Kalagi (same regional District) for higher education, thanks to the support from the Gambia’sVenner. People of Sintet used to either send their children to the urban areas which were difficult and frustrating often leading to parents withdrawing their children from school; this is a good progress. The students who travel long distance to come to school received bicycles to make it easy for them to come to school. 4. The malaria project is very successful too.
During the last year, We have extended our development to the nearby villages. Kampassa Health Centre received four (5) hospital beds, mattresses, a wheel chair, Trolleys and lockers for their in patients. Kalagi Senior School received desk top computers to strengthen their IT department for Students learning experiences. Students in the school who walk far to come to school received bicycles from my organization. Social welfare Department on behalf of the disable received 12 wheelchairs, 8 rolators and 21 pairs of crutches of which they express their gratitude on behalf of the disables who received these valuable materials. Wassadung village received some sports materials and toys for their nursery school children. They also received 4 hospital beds and mattresses, a table, chairs and a bicycle for the care taker at the health post. I travel to Gambia once a year on a follow up.
The Ends.
Source and Link to Part 1, 2 publications:
https://gainako.com/danish-gambia-friendship-society-dgfs-changed-gambias-living-conditions-part-1/
https://gainako.com/danish-gambia-friendship-society-dgfs-changed-gambias-living-conditions-part-2/