PEGEP Embarks on Fund Raising Campaign

In their bid to make the President's Girls' Empowerment Project (PEGEP) more viable and sustainable, the management of PEGEP and their Ex-sponsored students have embarked on a vigorous fund-raising campaign targeting dynamic and philanthropic individuals and institutions.

A high powered delegation headed by the PEGEP manager, Honourable Sheriff Abba Sanyang last Sunday called on the proprietor and Manager of the Equator Lodge in Kartong, Lamin Jamba Jammeh and the General Manager of Lemon Creek Hotel Resort in Bijilo Mr Erik Ravn.

Speaking at the two separate meetings, Hon Sanyang explained that their objective is to complement the president who is the founder and chief sponsor of the project. He said the Taiwanese embassy has been the only institution who has been supporting the president on the noble initiative. He said they intend to market the project to the wider world with a view to making it more viable and sustainable.

Hon. Sanyang stressed their desire to see Gambians embrace the project as theirs and contribute to its sustenance for posterity. He said though its was set up to support girls education in the country, more than 35, 000 Gambians both male and female have been sponsored by PEGEP from Junior schools to masters level since its inception. Hon Sanyang therefore appealed to both Messr Lamin Jamba Jammeh and Erik Ravn to kindly serve as ambassadors for PEGEP in Europe, and seek for funding and partnership opportunities for them. In response Lamin Jamba Jammeh who is the local counterpart to the Antwerp-Banjul Challenge and councilor for Kartong ward thanked Hon Sanyang and delegation for the laudable more. He assured them of his commitment to work with them for the realization of their objective. He explained to them that the Antwerp-Banjul challenge has been supporting worthy projects in the country over the years and that the challenge has the potentials to expose the PEGEP to rich organizations and individuals in Europe. He urged them to put up a project proposal for onward submission to the chairman and organizer of the challenge Cor de Bresser, a "true friend of the Gambian people". Mr Jammeh however lamented about the negative publicity on the Gambia on the internet and emphasized the need for massive promotional campaign using the mass media to let the wider world have a true picture of the country. For his part, Erik Ravn, the General Manager of Lemon Creek Hotel Resort in Bijilo also expressed similar sentiments. He promised that he would do all he could to establish the necessary contacts for PEGEP in Denmark. He advised them to intensify the publicity of PEGEP both locally and abroad with a view to make it known to the people.