By Ousman A. Marong
Sandra Schuler, the chairwoman of “Raise the Gambia Helping Hands” in Germany has said that her association is here to help the vulnerable and the less privileged people.
She said in July 2019, her association was founded under the “MoSa – the Gambian Helping Hands” in Germany and in The Gambia respectively.
According to her, the association in the same year was able to help 107 children and their families to attend school through sponsorship.
She narrated her association had later decided to distance itself from ‘MoSa’ – Gambia at the beginning of this year due to fraud and lies.
“Unfortunately, we had to distance ourselves from ‘MoSa’ Gambia at the beginning of this year due to fraud and lies. We were forbidden to continue helping the children. We see the whole thing as a new chance for a new, better way for us,” she said.
She made these revelations on Wednesday, 18 August 2021 during a WhatsApp interview with this reporter.
She further revealed that MoSa was under the tutelage of one Momodou Bah.
“We started with the name change “Raise the Gambian Helping Hands” in April of this year. We have also founded a new association in The Gambia called “The Gambia Schools for Future Foundation,” she remarked.
Schuler, 44, said the main purpose of setting up the association is to help sponsor the needy school going children.
Asked why did she choose to set up her association in The Gambia leaving out other African countries, she replied: “I or we in the association were in contact with some Gambians before the formation of the association. We were able to get to know The Gambia better from all sides. The Gambia has so much potentials, many educated children, for whom the path is not open at the moment, to take something of the future.”
She highlighted infrastructure such as roads without proper drainage system, poor health care system, the corrupt governance system, etc.
She believes the aforementioned problems The Gambia will tread on the spot and not move forward.
The German lady revealed her association has helped raise funds to support affected victims of the past windstorm.
“We have to be careful that we include the people and do not submit everything. They have to actively participate and develop ideas in order to make their lives in The Gambia a little better,” she concluded.
