The National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) in collaboration with the Department of Community Development (DCD) and the Directorate of Social Welfare (DSW) have so far disbursed a staggering sum of D6, 675, 000 to 2225 poor households across the country.The disbursement was done through the Nafa implementation programme and forms parts of The Gambia Rise, Inclusion and Resilience and Equity (RISE) project, which seeks to increase fundamental learning of early-grade pupil; access to job-relevant training for youth; and income generating opportunities, including for the poor and vulnerable in the country.
The Gambia RISE - Nafa programme is a combination of Cash Transfer and Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) currently being implemented in 20 poorest rural districts.
The bi-monthly Cash Transfer disburse to beneficiaries in all districts, is under component 3 of the World Bank project, which is being funded by the World Bank to the tune of US$40, 500, 000.
In this light, in January 2025 Cash Transfer implementation programme witnessed educative sessions targeting parents on the impacts of Positive Playful Parenting (PPP) project, which is also a sub-component of the Nafa project designed to harness children’s productivity in society.
Part of the disbursement already being implemented by partners include 763 beneficiaries at various communities in the Upper River Region with D2, 289, 000; 662 beneficiaries with D1, 986, 000 at different villages in Fonis and 800 beneficiaries with D2, 400, 000 in other villages across the Lower River Region.
In an interview with reporters at Nawdeh village in URR, Fatou Gibba, Director of Department of Community Development (DCD) revealed that the DCD has extension officers, who carry out the Cash Transfer are responsible for community mobilisation.
The DCD, she added, ensures that through the SBCC sessions for any topic chosen, which includes the current Positive Playful Parenting project, the initiative is to have it delivered to participants on different disbursement venues for them to understand and be able to relay the message to others.
The underlining factor in one of the objectives of the Cash Transfer, she added, is the behavioral change, further acknowledging that her assessment of the program has been so far positive as they endeavour to put smiles on the faces of the community beneficiaries.
Jainaba Sanyang, Principal Social Welfare Officer working with the Directorate of Social Welfare (DSW) under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, revealed that Nafa initiative is designed to uplift the most vulnerable and poor households.
She explained the mandates of the DSW, part of which, she said, is to help the most vulnerable group, the handicapped.
The initiative, she added, also intends to bring families together, where they also have the chance to address sexual gender-based violence, FGM and child marriage among others.
She applauded the World Bank, NaNA and other partners for their efforts in bringing people closer.
Among other beneficiaries was Kaddy Bah, a twelve-time beneficiary at her home in Nyantempo village in the Fonis, who revealed that apart from receiving the cash, the other significant part was the vast knowledge she and her neighbors have received through educative sessions delivered by the partners.
