This appeal came following numerous payments of the Nafa Cash Transfer project delivered since its inception targeting extremely poor households particularly women in the rural communities.
Funded by the World Bank, the National Nutrition Agency (NANA), Department of Community Development, and Directorate of Social Welfare are jointly implementing the Nafa Program as part of The Gambia Resilience, Inclusion, Skills and Equity (RISE Project).
The Gambia RISE Nafa Programme is a combination of Cash Transfer and Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) that is being implemented in rural districts.
In essence, the programme is aimed at supporting vulnerable rural communities that are identified as extremely poor.
In an interview with beneficiaries, Fatou Sanyang from Kalaji in the Foni District, West Coast Region, applauded the NaNA and partners for the initiative, further appealing for the continuation of the project.
Considering that the majority of the rural women are engaged into agriculture, she believes, the beneficiaries would be more than glad to invest the future Cash Transfer benefits to boost their agricultural activities.
“I have benefited ten times from the Cash Transfer which I used part of the money to buy food for our families, gave lunch money to our school going children and part of it, we bought goats to rear in our homes.”
She explained that she was also able to open a credit union account which she described as having helped her business.
Another resident of Kalaji and ten-time beneficiary, Mai Camara gave a detailed explanation on how beneficial the Nafa Cash Transfer was for her and her family.
She suggested that if stakeholders are able to renew or come up with a similar project, it will also help them expand their agricultural production which will be in addition to the previous areas they have used their money for. She thanked all stakeholders for the support they have been rendering to poor households.
As part of the Nafa Cash Transfer programme, similar engagements were held recently in Fulabantang, Central River Region, where a sum of D636, 000 was paid to 212 beneficiaries and an additional D342, 000 to 114 beneficiaries at Faraba also in the Central River Region.
