By Amadou Jadama
Unicef last Tuesday donated over 15 brand new motorcycles, a vehicle and a laptop to the Department of Community Development under the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government.
The donation came through the NSAKENNO (a Mandinka word for we can do it) project, which was launched in January 2019 in Soma, LRR.
Presenting the materials, Unicef country rep Sandra Lattouf, said supporting local structures have the capacity to function and thereby be accountable to their communities will help in the effective implementation of the National Development Plan 2018-2021.
She added that since 2018, Unicef and UNDP have been supporting the lands ministry to ensure all community structures in LRR, URR and CRR-North are capacitated on good governance, interpersonal communication, child protection issues, and key household behavioral change practices.
She said: “This is crucial as it will inform the development of community action plans that fit into Ward Development Plans for holistic development of all communities.”
Speaking further, she said the donation represents Unicef’s commitment to ensure local governments effectively implement, coordinate and provide oversight of demands for children, adolescents and their families.
“I encourage all technical advisory committees, multi-disciplinary facilitation teams, village development committees, ward development committees and area councils to build on the momentum and own the process on the localisation of the SDGs”, she stated.
NSAKENNO seeks to facilitate communication, participation, connection, interaction, and exchange among duty-bearers and communities.
