In view of this, they deserve better education, health and wellbeing to realise these goals.
Children embody hope for a better future, bringing new ideas, perspectives, and the potential for positive change. Thus, the society owes a great debt to help them contribute to their health and wellbeing.
A nation lacking these lofty ideals is a nation that is bound to fail. As in a popular phrase - ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’. Thus, let’s create a better future for the children and that is just what ChildFund is doing, ensuring that every child under their programme lives a better life and achieves their full potential.
Child Fund is an international child protection and development organizsation working to improve the development of children in their intervention areas.
The international charity since its inception in the Gambia in the 80s has helped improve the health and wellbeing of many children across every stage of their lives.
Formerly the Christian Children's Fund, the NGO’s presence and interventions are easily noticeable in many regions across the country.
Initially focused on the West Coast Region, the NGO now works with deprived, excluded, and vulnerable children across multiple regions.
This is anchored on their broader mission to ensure that many deprived and excluded and even vulnerable communities are supported all the way.
Their support extends from health, education, nutrition, early childhood development, youth empowerment to child protection.
What is even appreciative of their programmes is that most target the underlying conditions that prevent any child or youth from achieving their full potential. This is indeed commendable.
Supporting millions of children around the globe, their initiatives are such that to make an impact, it is tailor-made to every region’s needs.
This is what sustainable development calls for; putting communities at the heart of decision-making.
In today's edition, the international NGO has expressed its resolve to invest a staggering amount of USD $1.3M approximately D89 million to support child welfare initiatives across the country.
This pledge was made recently during a signing ceremony with their local partners at a two-day partnership review meeting held at the Ocean Bay Hotel in Bakau. The three partners are - Dinding Yiriwa Federation, Saama Kaira Federation and Foni Dinding Federation.
Supporting children’s development is vital in any sustainable development.
Let’s not forget that quality early care has a life-long impact on children’s health, behaviour, their ability to form relationships, and their success in education and employment.
What is often misunderstood, however, is that for these benefits to happen, the approach and focus of early childhood education and care must be both age-appropriate.
We commend ChildFund The Gambia for their early childhood initiatives especially in this era of budget constraints to support their programmes around the world. Since its inception in the country, their interventions especially in key areas have shaped the future of this country.
It is a fact that without their timely intervention these past years, many children especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds would have faced severe challenges in their overall development.
And what makes their programmes laudable is that their focus remains in ensuring that the children are the primary beneficiaries and at the center of every action.
We hope other NGOs will emulate them. National development is not a one-man show, but calls for concerted efforts of all. Together, we can make the Gambia great!