By Olimatou Coker
The National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) and its partners are set to extend the Nafa cash transfer programme to urban areas before the end of 2026, according to Alagie Mbye, Communication Officer at NaNA. The programme currently targets over 36,000 households in rural areas, with over 30,000 already enrolled.
Mbye stated that the project will expand to urban areas, including the Greater Banjul Area and parts of WCR to support vulnerable populations. “The project wants to expand to urban areas because there are people who are even more vulnerable than those in rural areas,” he said.
The Nafa cash transfer is a social protection initiative designed to strengthen household resilience, improve nutrition, and reduce vulnerability. Beneficiaries are selected through a proxy means test (PMT) and receive cash transfers accompanied by Social and behavioral change communication (SBCC) sessions.
Mbye urged beneficiaries to invest the cash in meaningful ventures, emphasising the importance of sustainability. “We want these gains to be sustainable, and to do that, we have to ensure that the SBCC continues,” he said.
The team visited Lebba Ahmed Jallow and Jaring Sarakura in CRR North, where beneficiaries received their cash transfers. The programme has reached 18 cycles in some areas, with plans to continue supporting vulnerable households.
