Street
Orphan, a UK-based charitable organisation, is in the process of constructing
an orphanage centre in The Gambia to tune of 4 million pound sterling with a
capacity to accommodate up to 2,000 orphans.
The
project is to be financed through Street Orphan by BBC Sub-Relief in the UK and
it is proposed to be piloted in Aljamdou village, North Bank Region.
Officials
of Street Orphan are currently in The Gambia for a fact-finding mission and to finalise
the modalities of the orphanage project.
The
officials had a meeting at the Gambia Supreme Islam Council at the weekend to
talk on the project with the council members and other stakeholders.
As
part of the mission in The Gambia, the chief executive officer of Street Orphan
charity, Hajj Asting Hussain, will also meet with communities, stakeholders,
government officials as well as the board of trustees of Street Orphan The
Gambia to discuss the project in detail.
He
said a feasibility study was conducted in several countries in Africa but The
Gambia was recommended as the ideal country to pilot the project.
CEO
of Street Orphan said the BBC Sub-Relief in the UK has pledged to finance the
project provided that all the legal documents from The Gambia are in place and
the appraisal completed.
“When
everything is now put in place, immediately upon my return to UK, the BBC will
pay the money for the project to kick start and the project will last for four
years,” he said.
The
orphan centre is designed to be specially built village with accommodation and
all related facilities such as hospital.
The centre will also be adopting children from SOS Village. Some of the facilities at the centre will not
only be for the children but the communities at large.
Kadijatou
Jallow of the Ministry of Justice said at the ministry, they offer guidance in
registering charitable organisations by giving legal advice and related
support.
Musa
Saidy, secretary general and vice chairman of Street Orphan The Gambia, said
the construction of the orphan centre is “a mighty project”.
He
said the people of The Gambia are ready to make the best use of the project for
the benefit of the children and the communities.
