The structure which will accommodate women escorts during deliveries at the hospital is worth 25,960 British pounds [about 1.7 million dalasi].
The club also presented new batch of medical items to the country’s main hospital, worth over 20, 000 dollars on behalf of Theo and Matilda Keller from Switzerland and Ebola kits, courtesy of Gambia Bird Arlines.
The Minister of Health Omar Sey noted that the ‘Wash Shelter Project’ could not have come at a better time and will be sustained as a way of showing appreciation for the clubs’ humanitarian gesture. He assured the donors that the government would expand the project towards meeting the needs of children and by extension, the entire Gambian people. He said the donation of Ebola kits will contribute in efforts to prolong the country’s Ebola-free status. “I want to seize this opportunity on behalf of the Gambian leader and the entire Gambian people to thank the Rotarian club of UK for their support to the hospital over the years.”
Benjamin Roberts, the minister of tourism said the project will provide water, sanitation and hygiene benefits for 26,000 patients and as well provide accommodation for women escorts during deliveries. He said some of the facilities including toilets and washing rooms will stem the spread of communicable diseases.
Making the presentation, the president of the Fajara Rotary Club, Rotarian Adam Wadda Jammeh said the gesture was part of activities to start off a new rotary year and to complement the government’s efforts in major areas of development.
Ms Wadda said the structure which was being put in place by the rotary, was part of the collaboration between the club and the Rotary Club of Royden Revolve in the United Kingdom.
“It [the Wash Shelter Project] is the first project that we have here and I am hoping it will be the beginning of several others structures that we can lay on this ground. The organisation’s activities are geared towards complementing government’s efforts in the critical areas such as maternal and child health, water and sanitation, peace and conflict resolution, and economic development. The cost of this project is at a tune of 25, 960 pounds which is equivalent to about 1.7 million.”
For his part, the chief medical director of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Dr Ammar Al Jafari expressed delight in the club’s partnership with the hospital, disclosing that the latter was working in line with its corporate social responsibility. He said the clubs’ latest move seeks to boost the child care unit of the country’s main hospital and to expand the capacity of the school to meet pressing education needs.
Dr Sati Rahmon, the chairman of education administration at the Rotary Club of Fajara commented: “I want to thank the government of The Gambia for creating the enabling space for us to give out our support to Gambians. I want to assure you that we cannot do it all, but we will try to contribute our quota to support this country both in the health and the education sectors.”
School gets boost
Meanwhile, the Rotary Club of Fajara in partnership with the Rotary Club of Royden Revolve also disbursed child literacy equipment to Bright Star Nursery and Lower Basic School in a bid to expand the capacity of the school to meet pressing education needs. The fresh round of donation by the humanitarian clubs came during a ceremony held at the school’s grounds in Old Yundum.
Speaking, Minyan Jobe, the immediate past president of the Rotary Club of Fajara, said there was no way one could enjoy the dividends of life without education.
The Rotarian said: “One of the major benefits of the club is the community and humanitarian services it provides and I think education is key in everything in life. We want to help the kids in their learning. I am overwhelmed because we are not wasting our time in the midst of these children.”
Betty Gomes, head teacher of Bright Star School, while taking delivery of the materials on behalf of the children, extended appreciation to the donors. She added that ‘it came at the right time’ given the need to provide more literacy materials for the school.
She added: “We have never expected this but it has really come at the right time. This school was a nursery school and has now expanded into a nursery and primary school. Therefore, I want to thank you all for coming.”
Rotarian Adam Wadda Jammeh who is also the president of the club, Rotarian Dr Sati Rahmon, Rotarian Madior Jobe and Rotarian Uzoma Achigbue all spoke of the importance of the gesture and the need to strengthen the country’s education sector. They also gave assurance of their commitment to contribute more to community service. The items include exercise books, pencils, and other learning materials.
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