Mrs Maria Roth-Bernasconi, a member of the Switzerland Parliament and Mrs Elsbeth Muller, executive director of the Swiss Community for UNICEF, are presently on a good will visit to The Gambia.

The purpose of their visit, is to asses the impact at a community led development project which is a Unicef-GoTG-TOSTAN Programme. TOSTAN, is an international NGO which is supported by the Women's Bureau, the principal partner representing The Gambia government.

Min-whee Kang, UNICEF representative in The Gambia, said the visit by the Switzerland delegation through the national committee is the first objective monitoring visit since the launching of the project in Upper River Region. This project according to her, is funded by the Switzerland government, through the Swiss National Committee for UNICEF which generates over 30 million Switzerland Francs annually for UNICEF projects globally.

"The project called, 'contributing to community' currently being implemented in URR has now demonstrated that people at the grassroots level can themselves, lead a positive movement for human dignity and community development when provided with, empowering education in their own language, which serves as a cross-cutting foundation for all future development activities" Min-Whee Kang noted.

The UNICEF boss also revealed that, the project which started at the end of the previous country programme of cooperation 2002-2006, has been integrated into the new country programme 2007 2011, at a tune of half a million US dollars. She added that the Switzerland National Committee has in the past, advocated for The Gambia to benefit from much needed funds, and this visit will only strengthen the political will on both sides to continue to support important projects that benefit children and women through UNICEF partners like Tostan in The Gambia.

As part of activities marking their visit of The Gambia, the Swiss delegation will also meet Vice President Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, and will also conduct meetings with the standing committee for women and children of the Nation Assembly under the leadership of Fatoumatta Jahumpha Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly.

A press conference will also be held on Thursday 10th April, 2008 at 1:00pm at the National Assembly Chambers.