New Life Children Centre Nursery, Lower and Upper Basic Schools in the Kanifing Municipality, recently gave out D54, 350 for the sponsorship of twelve prisoners’ children, who are pupils and a student in the said schools.

The beneficiaries are: six pupils from the lower basic school, five from the nursery school and one student from the upper basic school. The sponsorship was meant among others things to support their parents and family members in the education of their children. Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the school ground, Evonne Okorie, coordinator of the school, said that was not the first of its kind; that they have been rendering lots of humanitarian assistance to needy students.

She noted that the gesture would go a long way in complementing government’s efforts in providing such assistance to the children. According to her, their main objective is to ensure that the children achieve quality and relevant education up to their senior school level. She assured that the sponsorship would continue up to their grade nine, covering cost of their books, uniforms, among other learning materials.

Okorie informed that New Life Children Centre has a board of directors based in England. For his part, the executive director of Prison Fellowship in The Gambia, Dr Abee Abraham, underscored the importance of the gesture. He explained that the Prison Fellowship is an organisation working with 116 countries across the world, with the ultimate aim of rehabilitating prisoners.

Dr Abraham explained that some prisoners are in prison because of circumstances beyond their economic situation, adding that their children need to be taken care of. He indicated that such gesture ease frustration and brings hope to those families who are unable to send their children to school due to the absence of one or both parents, and to alleviate poverty in the country. He revealed that the Welfare and Justice Committee of his organization, in partnership with the Academy International School in Lamin Village, last year awarded a five-year scholarship to five prisoners’ children.

For his part, Lamin Hassan, the assistant co-ordinator of Prison Fellowship-The Gambia, commended the school for their humanitarian assistance. He also called on NGOs, companies, institutions, among others to come on board and participate in boosting the prisoners’ children. Donald Greywoode, the Admin officer and accountant of the school also spoke at the ceremony.