(Monday, June 24 2013 Issue)
Charity Pearl, a voluntary, non-profit and humanitarian organisation, recently donated rice, vegetable oil, school fees and learning materials to schoolchildren in Dippa Kunda.
Based in Slovenia, the organisation’s main goal is to improve the lives of the poor and needy children in The Gambia.
Speaking to reporters, the organisation’s co-founder Madam Ursa Rojnik said: “We unite individuals and companies who want to decrease social and economic differences and actively participate in expanding solidarity towards the poor, developing values and protecting the socially endangered families and children.”
Dilating on their activities, she said they have been active since December 2011, as volunteers, adding that they have actualised their idea in August 2012, by forming a humanitarian association in The Gambia called Charity Pearls.
According to her, it all began with the idea of cheering up children in The Gambia with toys that would bring smiles to their faces and joy to their lives.
She disclosed that their mission is not only to provide toys, but also to provide funds for education and to improve the living conditions of children from underprivileged families regardless of their financial status, race, religion or nationality.
Children should have access to their basic rights that make them happy and complete, she says.
To her, the feedback has been very positive and they collected large amounts of shoes, clothes, and school materials for the children, adding that their mission is helping vulnerable and poor children, educating and protecting them.
This is because education is a fundamental human right to which every child is entitled, she adds, pointing out that too many children in the world are out of school or are receiving spotty, sub-par education.
Each child has dreams that may never be fulfilled, potential that may never be realised, she notes, saying by ensuring every child has access to quality learning, they “lay the foundation for growth, transformation, innovation, opportunity, and equality”.
“Based on these facts, we have appealed to the people to sponsor by paying the tuitions and enable more than 75 students to finish their school year 2011/12; so we realised that we could make a new step and decided to help those kids on monthly basis,” she added.
Still on their programmes, she said one way of making a difference in The Gambia projects is fundraising for rice, sugar and oil for poor families in The Gambia.
Rice is essential for Gambians and 50 kilo bag of rice feeds a family for almost a month and the country depends largely on imported rice, which cannot be afforded by many.
Sugar is an important ingredient in Gambian cuisine. It is used for cooking and preparing drinks; it is also used in much greater quantities in many things.
Rojnik said the charity has bought school bags, shoes and balls at the beginning of every school year, as well as buying rice and sugar around the time of Gambia’s most important celebration (Ramadan), continuing in increasing the number of sponsored children in The Gambia, and building an educational centre for poor children.
Also speaking, Madam Valerija Krslin, also co-founder of the organization, said their sponsorship is a great opportunity for people to help children who are born in poor families.
According to her, a monthly donation will ensure a stable and secure childhood for these unfortunate Gambian children as it will give them access to health care, daily meal and quality education.
“Up to date we are sponsoring more than 75 children on monthly basis. We believe the number will highly increase after our trip to The Gambia,” she concluded.
Musa Faal, Charity Pearl founder in The Gambia, thanked the charity for the support it has been rendering to Gambian society.
He also thanked the Government of The Gambia for creating the enabling environment for the successful operation of organizations in the country.
