In order to assist the disaster victims in Gambia, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently donated about 1000 different dignity kits to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) for onward delivery to disaster victims across the country. This is a way to show love to the victims and make them feel worthy to live.
Reports confirmed that the handing over of items, which include, soaps, pants, buckets, cups, towels and baby items, among other sanitary items, was held at the NDMA Store in Kanifing Industrial Area. Also, presenting the items, Momodou Mboge, assistant UNFPA representative and assistant head of Programmes, said his office is committed to extending humanitarian aid to needy people, promising that they will continue to provide humanitarian support to disaster victims.
In further response to this, Mboge commended the NDMA for its outstanding role and swift approach to disaster management and mitigation in the country. He said their efforts are appreciated and that it will leave a lasting effect on the victims.
In addition, Lt. Col. Alhagie Sanneh, the executive director of the National Disaster Management Agency, expressed gratitude on behalf of the Office of the Vice President, acknowledging that UNFPA is one of the institutions in The Gambia that provide support to disaster victims without his office writing a request.
He further said that the mutual understanding between the two bodies is highly commendable. He further stated other areas of disaster that also need assistance:
” this shows that both bodies have mutual communication which should be commended. Also, the issue of windstorm and flash flood have been a problem in the country and we need more support from all stakeholders to help those affected families.”
Similarly, NDMA boss assured that the donated items would be evenly distributed among the right individuals as soon as the assessment is done. “We look forward to an everlasting relations, he ended. He said the targeted people are women and children and the general target is people who suffered from the storms.
In reaction to the good gesture, he thanked them on behalf of Gambians, especially victims for the humanitarian gesture and assured them that the items would be distributed to the affected victims. He said they would continue to work to make sure The Gambia is a resilience nation, is a nation where disaster risk is reduced to the minimum.
Momodou Mboge, UNFPA Assistant Country Representative and head of Programmes, said UNFPA as an agency was committed to humanitarian needs in the country, saying that UNFPA considered humanitarian gestures as an integral part of development:
“It is without any doubt we decided to provide a thousand dignity kits for onward transmission for disaster affected victims in the rural areas.”
Further more, Sering Modou Joof, Deputy Executive Director of NDMA, said NDMA since inception in 2008, has had cordial relations with UNFPA. He said it has been great working with the body:
“They had been coming to our aid at any moment we knocked on their door, it feels great working with the body.”
The victims of disaster who benefitted from this programme are excited as parts of their needs have been covered by the dignity kits given to them. Gambians are happy with the aid and hope that more of it will come in order to further strengthen love, unity and peace in the country.
