The Red Dolphin Lifeguard Volunteers of The Gambia on Sunday took delivery of essential lifesaving equipment from the Government of the Canary Islands, facilitated through philanthropist Sonja Arup, president of the NGO STARUP Gambia.
The handing over ceremony at Solomon's Beach witnessed the presentation of swimming goggles, flippers, wetsuits, 9 long boards, 8 buggy boards, rescue boats, life jacket, skateboards, footwear and surfboards, among others.
The items are designed to ensure timely response to save the lives of beachgoers and visitors along the beach.
The official handover ceremony was presided over by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Abdoulie Jobe and the Director General of the Gambia Tourism Board.
Registered in 2005, the Red Dolphin Lifeguard Association is a group of volunteers committed to ensuring the health and safety of beachgoers and people using the sea.
Minister Hails Volunteers' Selfless Service
At the handing over ceremony, Abdoulie Jobe, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, first commended the volunteer association for their phenomenal work in ensuring the health and safety of beachgoers and people using the sea.
"This is something that they are doing voluntarily because of the love that they have for this and for the country and the care that they have for the government, people and all visitors alike," he said.
Minister Jobe recalled that when he took over, he used to come to the beach on a regular basis and during interaction with members, they expressed the desire to work with the Gambia Tourism Board to provide them support.
This, he added, led to the association signing an MOU with the Gambia Tourism Board to encourage them to continue to do what they are doing.
"Whether they receive any support or not, every day at 10 O'clock, they're here along the length and stretch of the beach. So the work that they are doing cannot be overemphasized," he said.
With this boost from the Canary Islands, through Startup and Sonja, Minister Jobe expressed optimism that the material would significantly enhance their daily work on the beach.
He on behalf of the government and the people of The Gambia, commended the government and the people of the Canary Islands and the NGO for the support that she continues to provide to the people and the government of The Gambia.
"Also, we cannot thank you enough and we hope that the Red Dolphin team will use this material efficiently and effectively and I have no doubt because these are a group of young people who are not paid to do this," he said.
Minister Jobe reminded that a beach without rescue services is dangerous but their presence here from 10 o'clock in the morning up to sunset is commendable.
Mrs. Ida Jeng Njie, Director General of the Gambia Tourism Board, first reminded that beach safety is everybody's business and that all should join in ensuring that our beaches are safer.
She disclosed that during the weekends, the beach is always jam-packed with adults and children doing so many activities.
"So this gift here that my dear sister brought, Sonja, is of very high importance to not only the tourism sector, but the entire government and the entire country because it is not only the tourism stakeholders or people in tourism that come to the beach," she said.
DG Njie expressed gratitude on behalf of The Gambia Tourism Board, adding that people saw the need to work with Red Dolphins to save lives on the beach.
Startup NGO President, Sonja Arup, underscored the importance of teamwork, further outlining how it could contribute to achieving meaningful results.
"If we all work as a team, Red Dolphins, the Ministry of Tourism, the government of The Gambia together with Startup, the NGO Startup, we can help a lot of people," she said.
Saving lives on the beach, she observed, is not only for the tourism sector, but rather it's for collective efforts.
She thus reminded that on weekends thousands of Gambians gather at the beach playing football, swimming and enjoying a nice lunch. This is a culture of weekend enjoyment, she added, and when people join forces, they could help save more lives on the beach.
"And the most important thing is that we save lives also through training. We at Startup, we have been training for the last two years. We have been training the Fire Service, the Navy, SIS, The Gambia Police Force, The Gambia Immigration Department in life safeguarding," she said.
The Spanish philanthropist noted that in the Canary Islands, they also face similar challenges especially during strong currents, but that with awareness could help change a lot.
"So it's very, very important. If you don't know how to swim, stay in a safe place," she said.
