The Department of Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and Institute for Social Reformation and Action (ISRA) over the weekend distributed food items, sanitary materials and cash to nine‘Majalis’(Quranic schools) in the Lower River, Upper River, Central River and North Bank regions. The SOS children’s village in Basse also benefited from the gesture.  The distributed food items were donated by the Turkish Aid (TIKA) through the Gambian ambassador in Turkey, Gibril Joof.

The Ministry of Basic and Secondary education has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Majalis in collaboration with the Institute for Social Reformation and Action (ISRA), for a conditional cash transfer for the provision of two facilitators to teach the children in the Majalis, English, Maths and Science, as part of the Children Islamic Educational Programme.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Observer, the director of Social Welfare Fanta Bai Secka stated that the Department of Social Welfare’s collaboration in the pilot scheme is in the area of child protection of the ‘Tabibes’ in the Majalis and that the conditional cash transfer from Social Welfare is for the provision of livelihood skills to the children.

She said twelve Majalis in the country will benefit from the conditional cash transfer (CCT) project. She also informed the heads of the Majalis that the staff of Social Welfare will on monthly basis conduct monitoring exercise to the different Majalis identified for this pilot project in order to see whether the cash donated to them is used for its purpose. She added that her department and partners will also try to help to conduct deworming and birth registration exercise for children in the 12 Majalis in the project.

Secka informed that the CCT project started in April this year and that since then the Majalis are cooperating. She pointed out that the whole idea about the project is to discourage the teachers in the Majalis to send the children for street begging.

Alhaji Mbenba Jara Suwareh of Jarra Baro Kunda, thanked the Department of Social Welfare and partners for the support, noting that the facilitators are, since the project started, teaching the children as required .

Alhaji Cherno Momodou Gassama, the Marabout of Sinchu Jattaly in the Central River Region also applauded the Department of Social Welfare and the Turkish Aid International, MOBSE and ISRA for the timely assistance they are rendering to the children. He assured the delegation that the sanitary condition of the children and the livelihood skills and the money that is donated to the Quranic schools for income generating activity will be implemented.

Sering Omar Touray of Memeh in the Jokadu District, also thanked the Turkish Aid International and the Department of Social welfare and partners for the donation. Social Welfare apart from the Majalis also distributed food items to SOS Basse.

Among the places the team visited were Jarra Baro Kunda, Touba Wuli, Perai , Barajally, Sinchu Jattaly, Medina, Daru- Rilwan and Memeh