The Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works and the Gambia Federation for the Disabled have signed a 5.6 million dalasis landmark agreement to assist in the delivery of agriculture, infrastructure and other livelihood support projects across the country.
The signing ceremony came on Tuesday, June 16 at the GOVI Hall in Kanifing and will be delivered under the Community-based Infrastructure and Livelihood Improvement Project.
Speaking at the ceremony, Maria Dacosta, the project manager of CILIP at GAMWORKS said the landmark development came after what was ‘a very long process’ as they wanted to make sure that the grant reaches the beneficiaries in a rightful manner.
“We have made the required consultation with all partners in order to make sure that the money is put into what it is meant for. This team is the first beneficiary but we are also working towards helping fund others too,” she said.
She went on to advice the beneficiaries to work as a group and not to engage in sidelining others.
“We as GAMWORKS are going to be monitoring from outside just to make sure that the projects are managed well towards sustainability,” she assured.
On his part, Modou Sarr, the Monitoring and Evaluation specialist of CILIP at GAMWORKS said there was no limit to the amount of money allocated to people with disabilities, but their commitment needed to be shown. “We don't want to see ourselves in a situation where money will come and go in vain as, it would make investors lose interest in funding,” he added.
Fatou Sanyang, the president of the Gambia Federation for the Disabled said this was an opportunity that came at the right time and needed to be safeguarded. She said: “We need to put our hands on deck and work towards sustaining it for our own benefit.”
She also urged everybody to work towards development, adding. “I am here today and may not be tomorrow, but under my leadership as GFD president, I want to make sure that people see the disabled as contributors in development.”
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