In their drive to meet the educational demands of needy children in The Gambia, the Needy Students Education Trust Fund,  in collaboration with the Gambia Goodwill Society in Kansas State, USA, on Thursday, January 10, awarded twenty-one scholarships to needy students at a presentation ceremony held at the Sukuta Upper Basic School.

The scholarship package will cover school fees, examination fees and book bills. It also includes ten needy beneficiaries from both Sukuta Upper Basic and Pakalinding Upper Basic Shools in Western Region and Lower River Region respectively. The special needy scholarship went to Fatou Jarju of Sukuta Upper Basic School for being the most needy student among her colleagues.

Speaking at the ceremony, Karamo Sawaneh, executive director of the Trust Fund, said his organisation, registered as a charitable front in 2000, aims amongst other things to complement government efforts in the educational sector through the provisions of scholarships to the most deserving needy students.

Since their inception, according to Sawaneh, over forty Gambian needy students who are now excelling in the higher stages of education have benefited from the Trust Fund. He then advised parents and students to put all hands on deck in a bid to sustain the scholarship, noting that the continuity of the offer will depend on the performance of the students.

''We have so many needy students who haven't yet got opportunities like this, so if you are lucky, you must be grateful,'' he advised and continued that an assessment of the students performance will be conducted every three-months.

Sawaneh then used the opportunity to advise students, particularly the youths, to desists from travelling to Europe through the ocean and added that with education, everything is possible.

For his part, Burama Sanyang, representative of The Gambia Goodwill Society in Kansas State, USA, revealed that the scholarships will go up to the tertiary level, advising the students to ensure the sustainability of the opporturnity. He then emphasized the need for Gambians not to always wait for the government to provide social services noting that they started their organisation with a small group.

''Today we can be proud that our objectives are achieved. It is time for us to be aware that, sitting down and folding our hands is one of the major obstacles to national development,'' he noted.

Speaking on behalf of the SoS for Basic and Secondary Education, Sheik Tijan Bah, commended the organisation for what he described as complementing the government's efforts in providing access and free education to all Gambians.

He added that the education of every Gambian child, particularly the less priviledged, is indeed a concern for all and sundry. Bah reaffirmed the importance government attaches to the needy's education. He then called on others to emulate the organisation.

Other speakers include Lamin Camara of Region 2 and Sarja Sanneh, principal of Sukuta Upper Basic School.

Mariama Ngett, a beneficiary, on behalf of her colleagues, gave the vote of thanks.