Friends
of The Gambia Association (FoTGA), Sunday held their annual Price of Friends of
The Gambia event, held at the FoTGA office in Manjai Kunda.
The
Friends of The Gambia Association is a UK based charity sponsoring children’s
education, building schools and small medical facilities in The Gambia.
Chairman
Rob Iflade said the association was formed by some group of people who visited
The Gambia over two decades ago and was registered as a charity organisation in
the UK and as an NGO in The Gambia.
Momodou
Camara, country representative of FoTGA, outlined the association’s areas of
intervention which include education, agriculture and health. He said they also
intervene in other sectors that are in need of assistance.
He
said the association is presently sponsoring over three hundred children across
all the country, adding they sponsor students from elementary to secondary
school with possibility of sponsoring some up to the university level.
According
to Mr. Camara, they have been providing support to different clinics and
hospitals, including Sukuta Maternity Ward, former Jammeh Foundation for Peace
Hospital and also built health centers in Bakindick in Lower Niumi, North Bank
Region.
He
said donor fatigue is one of the major challenges they are facing, adding that
they need more donors and sponsors because more students are applying for
scholarship scheme from them in spite of their limited resources.
He,
however, thanked their parent office in the UK for its continuous support,
while calling on the government to come to their assistance, especially in
terms of documentation and clearing of goods or items from the seaport.
Guest
speaker of the event commended the association, saying everyone should embrace
and applaud them. He thanked the founder for investing in Gambia children’s
education and for providing health service to people in some of the areas.
