Rural IPC members trained on RISE Project community structures

The training program, which began on Monday 28^th April is currently undergoing with the involvement of 802 communities who are grouped into 160 training sites across the all the regions.

The RISE project is jointly funded by the World Bank and The Gambia government with the aim to build a foundation for providing sustainable livelihoods to the poor and vulnerable households.

The project has five components implemented by NaNA and other stakeholders from different institutions. The “Nafa” program is a sub-component of the RISE implemented by NaNA and partners in the 20 poorest districts of The Gambia.

 The program provides bi-monthly Cash Transfer and Social Behavioral Change Communication “SBCC) activities to approximately 17000 extremely poor households.

Speaking to reporters at a training held on Tuesday at Toranka Bantang village in the Lower River Region, Mariama Touray, a social welfare assistant at the Directorate of Social Welfare (DSW) under the Ministry of Gender and attached to Mansakonko, revealed that the training programme was designed for IPC and Village Support Groups (VSGs) on Social and Behavioral Change.

The training, she added, was conducted through various models for positive behavioral change, saying the step-down training is also done with rehearsals, saying that in every model taught, they assess participants on the understanding of the topics learnt.

She revealed that participants were selected by their various communities as VSG members for capacity building, while urging them to make best use of the lessons learnt for positive attitudinal change.

The RISE project, she added, is designed to support the most vulnerable households.

Maimuna Dem, a participant from Njolfen Angalleh, who applauded the project initiative, revealed that they have been taught on various models, which includes childcare, child education, hygiene and peaceful co-existence.

She informed that there has been lesser violence amongst families, which she said, was as a result of the education they have gained from the project.

She assured that they are also ready to transfer the knowledge gained to the village level.