By Madi S Njie
Saikou Fofana, Public Relation Officer (PRO of Vision Development Foundation has call on Gambians that can to share part of their wealth with the poor and the needy so as to ensure a good life for all.
While wishing Ramadan Mubarak to all Muslims, Mr Fofana expressed the need for people to nurture the spirit of caring and sharing, especially in this Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan.
He said: “Vision Development Foundation is an NGO that has been fully engaged in supporting sharing and caring for the needy people.”
He further said VDF has since inception in 2006, tasked themselves to support human beings from diverse backgrounds, in order to make life easier and better for them. “For the whole month of Ramadan as a tradition we normally give out gifts ranging from rice, sugar, dates, mayonnaise, meat, among other related materials.”
He said the gifts are meant to help the needy and the poor, to help themselves and make Ramadan easy for them.
“Each individual is given food items worth D250 and about 500 to 1000 people daily. The gesture is in line with the vision of the organisation, to help those in need,” he said.
He recollected that the organisation was formed by Momodou Turo Darboe, who is serving as the CEO, to support and complement government’s efforts in national development.
He further said they have been doing this annually, not for name making, but about “giving your heart, or giving love to somebody who likes it most.”
He further noted that beside the Ramadan gifts, their activities also include offering Christmas gifts to Christians, construct and rehabilitate roads, have a Child Fund -supporting education, women horticultural gardens, overseas treatments, rehabilitations of health centres and Police Stations.
He stated that this year their organisation completed digging of 3 boreholes for communities, which is about to be handed over to the communities to access clean drinking water.
“As NGO, we have been doing all that we can, but this year the demand has increased, compared to the past. We are calling on all patriotic Gambians to help the needy people.
“People are coming on daily basis collecting and going. We are calling on all Gambians and Non-Gambians, especially Muslims to come and complement the efforts of Vision Development Foundation, and our CEO.
“We have seen that we are doing so much for the poor, because Modou Darboe has the heart, and we believe that there are many Modou Daboes that can do what we are doing.
“All the support is coming from Modou Turo Daboe as a businessman, who inherited this tradition from his parents,” he said.
He said their team has the heart to help, and therefore encouraged others that can to come and forge partnership with them, or “do the same thing in other parts of the country and support the needy. Let all hands be on deck to support humankind.”
He said poverty level is very high in the country, and supports like this can help reduce poverty, adding that “it is Gambians that will solve Gambia’s problems.”
