Officials of the West African College of Nursing yesterday met the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy at her office at State House in Banjul.

The West African College of Nursing officials were at the vice president's office to brief her on their activities as well as seek government's support ahead of their forthcoming 11th Biennial General Meeting, and the 31st Scientific Session of the West African College of Nursing to be held in Banjul in 2011.

Speaking to reporters shortly after meeting VP Njie Saidy, Alkali Jabbi, the chairman of the West African College of Nursing Gambia Chapter, disclosed that the college, which was established in 1981, is an implementing agency of West African Health Organisation, which comprises of Anglophone West African countries and Benin Republic. He also hinted that their meeting with VP Njie-Saidy was a positive one as she had pledged to support them.

IAG donation
In another development, members of the Insurance Association of The Gambia (IAG) were also at the vice president office yesterday to hand over the sum of D100, 000 to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) as part of the association’s contribution towards the victims of the recent floods that devastated parts of the URR, CRR, WR and KMC.  The IAG also gave out D50, 000 for the Banjulinding Women’s Horticultural Garden.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Henry Jawo of IAG commended the vice president on behalf of the association for the giant steps she had taken in the association’s activities. “We deem it fitting to give out our quota towards national development for the fact that we are operating under this conducive environment provided by the government of the day. Peace enables us to call partners in other countries to bring them together here to discuss relevant issues and without peace, we cannot achieve that,” he said.

Kadessa Sambou, the president of the Banjulinding Women’s Horticultural Garden expressed gratitude to the IAG for the benevolent gesture, saying the money will go a long way in solving some of their constraints. For his part, Kairaba Fatty, the director of Colony Bees Services Centre  dilated on some of their activities.

He explained that his association’s target is to empower women and youths especially those who are not working to enable them earn a living. “Currenlty, we have a membership of over 200 members and bee keeping is a lucrative area people can make their living,’ he stated. He also donated on behalf of his association some medicaments made  from bee-wax that can cure water-borne diseases to the families of the recent flood victims that hits different parts of the country.

Dr Amadou Sowe, the permanent secretary No.1 at the Ministry of Agriculture, equally thanked the donors on behalf of the Gambian leader for their gesture. He described their move as step in the fight against poverty and hunger in the country as they empower local communities adding that the monies donated will be put to good use.

Ousman Sonko, the minister of Interior and NGO Affairs, also commended the IAG for the gesture saying the monies will go a long way in helping both the Banjuluding Women Gardeners as well as the disaster victims. “To help the women gardeners is also another way of driving [away] poverty in the country as it will go a long way in supporting communities directly or indirectly,’ he said, while calling others to emulate the Insurance Association.

For her part, VP Njie-Saidy thanked the IAG, describing the various donations as worthy and timely. She emphasised that all these are made possible due to the conducive environment President Jammeh created in the country for businesses to flourish. She pointed out that recent floods should teach people what climate change can bring about, citing countries like China, India and Pakistan.

The vice president assured that the monies donated to the two institutions will be put into good use, saying beekeeping is another important area to make a living as government cannot provide employment for all its citizen. She spoke at length about the importance of beekeeping, and urged other Gambians to venture into it for the development of the country. Paramount Chief Demba Sanyang of Kombo North echoed similar sentiments. The ceremony witnessed the presentation of garden produce by the Banjulunding Women Horticultural Gardeners to the vice president.

UNICEF
Similary, UNICEF through the Department of Water Resourcres  donated some relief materials to the NDMA. The items included 40 helmets, 40 reflectors, 40 gloves and 40 rain bouts. They also donated 13,000 water containers to the NDMA for onward distribution to the disaster victims.

Green Mamber Restaurant & Pristine Consulting
The Green Mamber Restaurant and Pristine Consulting also donated D33, 000 worth of relief materials to the NDMA.