World Orphans Day commemorated in Gunjur

Abubakarr Sidique Foundation for Orphans and Needy Welfare (AFONW) on Saturday joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Orphans Day at a ceremony held in the coastal village of Gunjur in the West Coast Region.

The celebration took the form of a march-past by women kafoos (groups) from Gunjur Central to Gunjur Lower Basic School.

The theme for the celebration was ‘Provide brighter future for Orphans’.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief of Kombo South, Mustapha Touray, applauded AFONW for its commitment towards the welfare of orphans in Gunjur.

According to chief Touray, the foundation was formed in 2003 and became fully operational in 2006, and since then it has been rendering support to needy orphans in the community.

He revealed that the foundation as at now supports 375 orphans and 60 widows in the country.

He recalled that the foundation also at one time trained widows on soap-making and other skills.

He used the occasion to call on donors and other groups to render support to the foundation to help it realise its dreams and aspirations.

The coordinator of the AFONW, Buba Janneh, said the foundation, which was founded in 2003, registered with the Attorney General’s Chambers in 2006 as a charitable organization.

“Since then the foundation has been supporting orphans in Gunjur,” he announced.

According to him, there are 200 million orphans in the world, out of which fifty-three million are in Africa and sixty million live with constant hunger. 

The chairman of the foundation, Alhagie Sandang Bojang, who also doubles as the director of Trust Agency for Rural Development (TARUD), said the foundation was formed to give support to orphans, and since its inception has sponsored many students, some of whom have already completed their education.

“Some of our sponsored students are now working and helping themselves and their families,” he said, adding that the foundation sponsored orphans both in the English and Arabic schools in Gunjur.
“The foundation will continue to render more support to orphans,” he declared.

Other speakers on the occasion included Kebba K. Barrow from TANGO and Isatou Faye Jammeh from the Ministry of Social Welfare.