By Olimatou Coker
The Refela Gambia chapter president, Rohey Malick Lowe, has continued her campaign on zero tolerance of children on the streets in Fass Njaga Choi in the North Bank Region.
The Network of Elected Local Women of Africa also builds an equitable, inclusive and gender-sensitive Africa Protect vulnerable children, ensure territorial inclusiveness Support empowerment of women and girls.
Rohey Malick Lowe, the Mayor of Banjul, who doubles as the President of Refela Gambia Chapter, expressed her gratitude to the women for taking their time to be part of the event.
She emphasized the importance of the REFELA Gambia Chapter and clarified that it is a non-political organization with no affiliation to any political party in the country.
“REFELA is a group of locally elected women that empowers women and youth in Africa”.
Mayor Lowe said the challenges faced by women in the Gambia are similar. She encouraged the women to work together towards improving their lives in the country.
She also stressed that REFELA is not a political or religious organization, but rather a platform for women.
The Mayor noted the challenges women face in the area and urged them to unite and work towards the betterment of women in the Gambia.
She also reminded the women that they are the backbone of Africa, and urged them to be united and support one another. She called on women to respect and help their husbands.
She added that Refela is here to empower the women of the Gambia
Mai Ndure, women’s mobilisater of Fass, said they work at the gardens and their products are always spoiled due to lack of a proper market.
According to her, they are faced with a series of difficulties and problems. “We would like you to help us with a market for us to be able to sell our products, a cold store for proper preservation and a good processing machine for our vegetables to prevent them from spoiling or wastage.”
She called on the Mayor through Refela to support them with an ambulance for their hospital, saying that the women used to go through a lot during delivery.
Michelle Mendy, Councilor of Essau said women in Fass and other villages are going through a lot in terms of their vegetable preservation.
She said there is a village called Misiranding. She went there so many times and those people are having the worst problem. “They have one form of a river format. It’s having crocodiles there and sometimes when the children are coming from school they used to have problems.”
She urges the Mayor through Refela to step in and help these women and their children.
Fatou Sem, female leader from Njongon outlined challenges such as water, market and fence for their women garden in Njongon.
“We the women are really going through a lot and has been facing a lot already”.
Mariama Daffeh, Madina Kanduma Sutura Kafo, said they too are faced with water challenges at their community and fence because goats normally spoil all their produces.
