Saint Joseph Family Farm Centre (SJFFC) in Bwiam, in collaboration with Concern Universal, last Friday donated six packets of corrugated iron sheets, twelve bags of rice, and 15 kilos of nails to three families affected by natural catastrophes in Kujejen and Kanbong in the Foni Kansala district. The families were also given two hundred dalasis each to transport their gifts.  

Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the Western Region governor's office in Brikama, Mr Yankuba Manneh, project manager of St Joseph Family Farm said the donation was made possible by the support of Concern Universal. He added that SJFFC is a civil society organisation and has been engaged in numerous developmental activities for the past twenty years. Mr Manneh added that the SJFFC is committed to alleviating poverty in the rural communities of Western Region.

He said that St Joseph Family Farm's key intervention areas are agriculture, forest conservation, income generation and a host of other activities. He expressed hope that the gifts would be useful to the beneficiaries .

Sereign Modou Joof, secretary to the regional disaster management committee, commended the donors for the gesture.

Mr Manfred Bojang, desk officer of Emergency Prevention, Preparedness Response Project under St Joseph Family Farm underscored the significance of coordination and collaboration in mobilising funds for disaster victims. He said that a consultative forum with relevant stakeholders will be organised after the Ramadan to set up an emergency co-ordination centre on disaster matters.

For his part, Lamin Sanneh, governor of Western Region, who also doubles as the region's disaster management committee chairman, described the donation as timely.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mariama Mondo Badjie commended the donors for the gesture.