A UK charity known as Scholar Charity over the weekend presented gifts to their sponsored children in the West Coast Region.
The gifts include 30 bags of rice, 30 school bags, stationery and cost of uniform valued at three hundred dalasi for each child.
The gifts were presented at a ceremony held at the Social Development Fund Branch office in Brikama.
The presentation was attended by parents, guardians and beneficiary students from various schools in the region.
The national coordinator of the Scholar Charity in The Gambia, Alansan Jallow, said the event marked another milestone in the history of the charity.
He noted that since 2010 the charity has successfully completed numerous major and minor projects in The Gambia.
He revealed that this project’s activities range from provision of educational materials to schools, medical, agricultural, environmental and training projects, as well as the ongoing child support and sponsorship scheme.
According to him, in the 2010-2011 academic year, the charity supported 33 children in the country at various levels.
He said they spent one hundred and thirty four thousand and sixty five dalasi in the provision of stationery, uniforms, and school fees, among others, in that year.
He added that they also, in the 2011-2012 academic year, supported another thirty three children in various categories to the tune of one hundred and sixty five thousand nine hundred dalasis spent on school fees, stationery, school bags, uniforms and bags of rice.
“Today again the charity is here to do yet another presentation for the academic year 2012-2013, with the provision of 25-kilo bags of rice to each student, stationery and the cost of uniform,” he said.
He also used the opportunity to thank the founder of the Scholar Charity, Micheal Doublet, from Jersey Island in the UK, for his dream in ensuring that the charity supports needy students in The Gambia.
Mr Jallow urged the parents and guardians to put these materials into best use, adding that there is need for the parents to support and motivated these children at home, and to give feedback to the charity office in the form of school reports.
He also thanked Brikama Area Council for facilitating the success of this presentation of gifts to the sponsored children.
Speaking on behalf the Brikama Area Council, the vice chairman, Lamin Bojang, thanked the founder of the charity for complementing the government’s efforts in providing quality education to children.
He said that the charity’s effort is geared towards serving and helping humanity, and noted that the best investment in any country is to invest in the children.
He then used the opportunity to advise the parents to encourage the children to learn and read their books at home.
The public relations officer of the Brikama Area Council, Modou Jonga, expressed delight with the presentation made by Scholar Charity.
He said the council is very appreciative of the activities of Scholar Charity in helping the Gambian children since 2009.
He also expressed joy and appreciation over the presentation made, and reassured the Scholar Charity of the council’s continuing collaboration and support.
He also advised the parents and the guardians to make the best use of the donated items to their children.
Fatoumata Jallow commended the sponsors for supporting Gambian children, and assured them that the material will be put into good use.
