By Aminata Kuyateh
The Gambia Prison Services GPS recently received a significant boost in their efforts to improve the welfare of inmates as telecommunications giant, Africell donated essential food commodities and cooking utensils to them.
In a ceremony held at Mile 2 Central Prison on Tuesday, Africell donated large cooking pots, food staples such as rice, oil, and sugar, and other valuable items aiming to enhance the living conditions of inmates. Prison authorities have long faced challenges in maintaining adequate food supplies for the incarcerated, making this intervention timely and necessary.
Speaking at the event, Musa Cisse, Corporate Officer at Africell, emphasised the telecommunications giant’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, particularly in supporting vulnerable groups within society.
“We believe that every individual, regardless of their circumstances, deserves dignity and necessities. This is why Africell is stepping in to support the prison services in ensuring that inmates receive proper meals,” Cisse stated.
The donation was officially received by senior prison officials, who expressed gratitude for Africell’s generosity.
Officials of the prison department took turns to extol Africell for the support rendered, indicating that it will help in transforming inmates serving sentences.
Modou Jarju, deputy director, GPS, highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by correctional facilities and called on other organisations to follow Africell’s example in assisting.
“The gesture by Africell is expected to ease some of the difficulties associated with food preparation at Mile 2, where overcrowding and limited resources have often been cited as concerns”, he said.
For his part, youth adviser to the president, Lamin K Saidy, hailed Africell for fulfilling a component of their corporate social responsibility, whilst he highlighted the various initiatives taken by the presidential advisory team to remedy challenges facing public institutions.
In his remarks, Hendry Gomez, special presidential adviser, used the occasion to applaud the prison department for their services, calling on more skills support initiatives from Africell to help in transforming inmates serving sentences.
This initiative adds to a growing list of corporate social responsibility programmes undertaken by Africell in The Gambia, reinforcing the company’s role as a key player in community development.
The ceremony culminated with a brief tour of the prison facility by officials and the presentation of the items to the prison department.
As prison authorities work towards improving conditions within correctional facilities, the support from private sectors like Africell serves as a crucial reminder of the role businesses can play in uplifting marginalised communities.
