Girl Friend to Girl Friend Association Gambia chapter, founded by a Danish called Louise Torbenson, on
Wednesday disbursed D200,000 cash on loan to fourty of its members.
The
loan is to be paid back in six months with five per cent interest.
It
also gave 50 bags of rice free of charge to its members and the distribution
was coordinated by the ambassador of the association, Sulayman Jammeh, who is
also the ward councilor for Bundung.
Speaking
at the presentation ceremony held at Taku Lega skills centre in Latrikunda, Aja
Amie Jatta, project coordinator of Girl Friend to Girl Friend Association Gambia chapter,
said the association was formed mainly to empower the women in petty trading by
helping them with soft loans with interest of five per cent for six
months.
She
urged the women to repay the money on time “so that others will also benefit
from the project”.
“The
chance of others to have the loan depends on those who took the loan,” she
said.
Isatou
Badjie, president of Girl Friend to Girl Friend Association Gambia chapter and a recipient of
the loan commended the ambassador of the association, Sulayman Jammeh, who she
described as a- patriotic Gambian who has the women of Bundung at heart.
Sheikh
Omar Faye of the Management Development Institute (MDI) said the initiative of
Girl-to-Girl Friend Association would go a long way in assisting the women in
developing their businesses.
Mr
Faye urged the women to take ownership of the project and make sure that they
repay the loan on time so that others can also benefit.
For
his part, ambassador of the Girl Friend to Girl Friend Association Gambia chapter, Sulayman
Jammeh, said the initiative of the association is to empower the women to be
self-reliant.
He
said the aim of the association is to bring the women together in cooperation
and as a team for the development of the community.
He
commended the sponsor of the association, Madam Louise Torbenson and her team
for their continued support to the project in The Gambia.
“We
are grateful to you and our development partners in contributing towards the
advancement of the Gambian women,” Mr Jammeh said.
The
founder of Girl Friend to Girl Friend Association, Louise Torbenson, commended the members of
the association for their cooperation and urged them to continue to be united.
She
also hailed Sulayman Jammeh and Aji Amie Jatta and their team for working to
towards the growth and development of the project.
