In an interview with The Standard at her Bakau offices over the weekend, she said her charity has satisfied and fulfilled all the requirements of a charity allowing it to be registered.
“The Tree charitable organisation’s aims are, among others, to contribute to national development agenda of The Gambia and promote and serve as a catalyst in encouraging public–private partnership in the agricultural sector in The Gambia.
“We also aim to promote youth participation in the agricultural sector of the Gambian economy through commercialisation and value addition; to promote both internal and external resources mobilisation of programmes and activities.”
Mrs Marenah–Camara signaled her cognisance of the unprecedented changes taking place within the environment while expressing commitment to taking action to remedy the situation.
“The need to remedy this situation calls for concerted efforts. As our name implies, we have committed ourselves to contribute towards the socioeconomic advancement of The Gambia. We want to engage women farmers into income generating ventures for example agricultural related activities like animal production, fattening, gardening, poultry, rice production and milling, food processing, preservation and marketing. We want to see poor rural and urban women achieve their dreams; earning money through self-income generating ventures. By doing that, they will be economically independent to take their rightful positions in the society. The other areas of focus will include training of women groups on tie and dye, batik and life skills training,” she explained.
She added that she was in discussion with various women groups in Lamin, Sinchu Alagie, Kudang and Kembujeh on possibilities of partnership and support.
“The issue of women is so dear to my heart and after careful study of the needs of women, I decided that establishing a charity like The Tree will greatly help me achieve my dream of helping lots of women through skills development and training. I visited the Sanchaba West Nydema Kafo and after a feasibility study I promised to help the women gardeners with water supply which is their challenge. I call on development partners and government to help me achieve the set goals and objectives of the charity.”
She used the interview to thank her husband Lamin Camara for his support since the establishment of the charity as well as Bakoto Jobe-Mboge and John Pickery for their guidance.
The production manager of the charity, Hawa Marenah, said they have plans to engage women and youths in mango jam, pepper sauce and fruit juice processing.
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