Mosquito Net Appeal Continued Success

FSF are extremely grateful that we were able to respond to a recent pledge made by the Gambian Government Disaster Management Committee who were asking for donations to help victims of floods, floods that destroyed homes and properties of many communities. During Lamin and Rebecca’s visit to The Gambia in November, Rebecca was invited with the Gambian FSF board members to meet with the Vice President to present 300 mosquito nets that will be distributed to the victims of the floods. Please see below an article that featured in The Daily Observer about the much needed donations for the disaster victims.

More donations for Emergency Relief Response

Friday, November 12, 2010

More institutions continue to donate in cash or kind to the disaster victims in the country through the Emergency Relief Response.

The latest to donate include the UNFPA, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Fresh Start Foundation, the Yoruba Community in The Gambia and the Gambian Association based in Houston, Texas, USA. The donations were received yesterday by the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Aja Dr. Isatou Njie-Saidy at a presentation ceremony held at her office at State House in Banjul. The UNFPA Office were the first to present their items which included reproductive health kits worth over US$50,000.

Fresh Start Foundation (FSF)

The third to present their items were officials of the Fresh Start Foundation, a registered charity organisation based in the UK and The Gambia. Established in 2006, the foundation supports orphans and other vulnerable children in the country.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Lamin Sanyang disclosed that FSF is out to contribute towards poverty reduction by providing a conducive learning environment for extremely vulnerable children and young people; by supporting their access to an uninterrupted education and training that develops their skills; self awareness and self-reliance in achieving their personal success, among others. “During flash floods, waters are stagnant in houses and compounds and this serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” he said, while describing malaria as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in The Gambia as it disrupts socio-economic activities and fuels poverty.

He continued: “Children and the elderly are the most vulnerable to the health effects of floods. This is related to our motto, which is helping the vulnerable children in The Gambia. That is why the foundation finds it important to donate 300 bednets to disaster victims in the country.”

Author: by Sheriff Janko