Red Cross senior management, governing board concludes monitoring visits
By Cherno Omar Bobb
The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) senior management and governing board over the weekend embarked on a monitoring visit to its tree planting and tree growing projects done in partnership with UNDP, Government of The Gambia and other partners. The society also visited flood affected victims they supported as well as visited villages were they are supporting solar power water systems to bring access to clean water to their doorsteps.
The tour was conducted in North Bank, Central River, Upper River and Lower Region Regions.
The monitoring visit comes at the hills of the general assembly of the Red Cross were the mandate of the current board will expire by the end of the year. The society will hold its general assembly to elect board members by the end of the year.
The tour was also meant to allow them to assess themselves both in terms of their performance but also the impact they have made in the lives of people they serve. It also allows them to prepare for the new board to take over in terms of what remains to be done and reviewed.
The monitoring visit was also to see the effectiveness of their projects and to also facilitate the board to know their performance but at the same time to know what they are going to hand over after their term ends.
The society’s senior management and governing board conducts two monitoring visits of its projects every year.
Alasan Senghore, secretary general of The Gambia Red Cross Society thanked UNDP and the Government of The Gambia for their trust and confidence in them.
He said they have seen that some of the trees they planted are surviving, noting that what remains to be done is how they can be saved because they have observed that some of the perimeter they did to protect the trees have been taken out by people.
He therefore advised the community to sensitise themselves around that as well as constantly monitor the area.
He highlighted that it is one thing to grow the trees and another thing to continue monitoring and engaging the community.
Amadou Drammeh, Country Project Manager for SolHEALTH in his remarks at Koronumu Kunda were The Gambia Red Cross Society, SolHEALTH and UB-ONE Foundation co-funded solar power water system for the community under the healthcare support and strengthening project in The Gambia urged beneficiaries to make best use of borehole for its sustainability.
Sorry Jabbie, Village Development Committee chairman at Koronumu Kunda said they never had access to clean drinking water for over 50 years prior to the intervention. He added that the well used to dry up after few people fetch water from it. He therefore thanked GRCS and partners for coming to their aid.
At Farafenni Madrassatul Skeikhful Islamic Institute where GRCS in partnership with IFRC supported 25 students with cash for three months as well as school, hygiene, sanitary and other materials, students thanked the society for taking off the burden of paying school fees and buying school materials on their parents.
COB/03/11/22
