SG Senghore glad Gambia Red Cross achieves Kandonku objective 

Women gardeners at the community produced a lot of things including onions, tomato, garden eggs, lettuce, cabbage among other things and SG Senghore said, this means that they have achieved their objective which was to improve the lives and livelihood of women households in the community.

Mr. Senghore made these remarks on Thursday 14th April 2022 in Kandonku during a monitoring visit to the garden.

It could be recalled that, following the successful completion of works at the site, The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) in December 2021 handed over the garden and borehole facilities to Kandonku village in West Coast Region.

In 2020, GRCS conducted an assessment in communities affected by the adverse effects of climate change on the livelihoods of women. It was discovered that there was a felt need to support the women from most disadvantaged communities in West Coast Region in order to boost their vegetable production, thereby increasing their income level.

Based on the outcome of the assessment, GRCS in collaboration with both the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Japanese Red Cross Society committed to supporting Kandonku horticultural gardening.

GRCS’s move was to reduce vulnerability in the adverse impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of women, including variability at community level and promote, transfer and adopt adaptation technology for vegetable production.

The garden was without a perimeter fence and enough water which GRCS and partners provided and Senghore said they are grateful to see that what they delivered is being used and is making a positive impact in the lives of communities.

Women of the garden have also had their first harvest of onions which were bought through the Ministry of Agriculture, and SG Senghore further expressed satisfaction with how women of Kandonku are using the facility as well as their achievement. 

He thanked all their partners for their support. The Gambia Red Cross Society also has a number of similar projects in Upper River, Central River and Lower River regions.

Kuleh Saho, president Kandonko women gardeners explained that, she first cultivated onions which she have harvested and sold.

She noted that the sales from her onions have really benefited and improved her and her family’s life and livelihood. 

“I do not buy onion from the shop anymore. My entire Ramadan expenditure is from the onions sales money and I will also use part of the money to buy Eid clothes for every child under my care,” she stated, while thanking The Gambia Red Cross Society and partners for their intervention. She noted that prior to their assistance they used to spend the whole day in the garden chasing animal and struggling to water their beds. 

“Today within minutes we can water the entire garden and go home and take care of other family needs,” she stated.