Speaking at the handing-overceremony held at the UTG campus in Brikama, Madam Loubna Farage, president of the GBA, on behalf of the bar association expressed their sincere gratitude to“Million Books to The Gambia” under its project manager, Lamin Dibba and his entire team.
She said “Million Books to The Gambia” is a collaboration of books for Africa and Hand in Health”.
The founder of Books for Africa, Tom Warth, has done a lot of unusual things to promote charity and education including walking across Minnesota in the USA and climbing MT. Kilimanjaro, she said.
Sometime in February 2012, he led a group of about 20 Minnesotans who joined with Gambian officials, education and hundreds of school children who trekked the 20 miles across The Gambia to raise awareness about the need for books and education, said the GBA president.
Warth and friends consider the Walk across Gambia a huge success, but it was only the beginning, they said.
A year into the project, organizers have shipped more than 198,000 books to the students of The Gambia. That is 20 per cent towards their one million book goal.
The books range from elementary and secondary school science books to university level books toprofessional law books supplied by Thomson Reuters.
Dr Patrick Plonski, staff and volunteer of books for Africa, Lane Ayres, Tom Warth, Thomson Reuters Legal, course Hero and many other stakeholders made it possible for this occasion to take place, the GBA president stated.
“I am humbled to report that “Million Books to Gambia” has so far sent over 550,000 books to the children and adult learners in The Gambia,” she said.
The GambiaBar Association has been recognized as contributors to society andas such they are privileged to be part of the beneficiaries of such prized possessions-books, she said.
She seized the opportunity to thank along with Sharon, other members of Thomson Reuters Legal, and in particular Tom Pfeifer Global Head, Customer Sales and Experience Legal.
The GBA president also thanked Lane Ayres, the JD director at the Jack Mason Law and Democracy initiative of books for Africa and Lamin M. Dibba, project Manager “Million Books to The Gambia” (MBG) Project.
According to her, with these books the GBA would launch a Law library at its current head office in Banjul.
“We envision a time when our own head office will be constructed in the near future and an even bigger library made available to legal practitioners and students alike,” she stated.
She disclosed that books are the most important tools for a lawyer and perhaps the biggest expense and also their intellectual capital.
“Without knowledge of the law, we cannot competently serve our community,” she said. “We are therefore grateful for this kind of gesture, which is not only beneficial to the lawyers but the people we serve on a daily basis.
“We invite ‘Million Books to Gambia’ and all its partners and stakeholders to consider the entire Gambia Bar Association as its partners.”
