Funded by Gambia Experience, ComAfrique InverSol Initiative (CII) provided 260 Intelizon LED solar lights with backup mobile chargers to 8 Villages, in Central River Region both North and South on recently.
The villages includes , Sey Kunda , Barrow Kunda , Sinchu Njugarry ,Kerr Layen , Jessadi all in Nimina Dankunku constituency CRR South, Marsey , Jimbala Kerr chendou , Jimbala kerr chorno in CRR North benefited from The Gambia Experience (Community Development Fund) through The Gambia under its “Light up a Village” program.
Hon. Samba Jallow, National Assembly member of Niamina Dankunku constituency thanked Gambia Experience (Community Development Fund, and ComAfrique InverSol Initiative for providing the villages with Intelizon LED solar lighting project that will help the village in future and also will help children to study in a clean light.
Jallow, also the minority leader in Parliament advised the beneficiary to take good care of the initiative.
Both the Alkalos (local chiefs) commended Gambia Experience and ComAfrique InverSol for lighting up their villages and also assured to take good care of the project and its sustainable aspect.
Musa Bah, Ward Councilor of Kaur ward said that: “As we all know there is no electricity in our area, in that case these lights will help us save a whopping 75% of our current cost of a candle and give us better light and most of all will save us from fire accidents and also help our children to study during night time.”
He further commended Gambia Experience and ComAfrique Inversol Initiative for lighting three villages in his ward, while urged the villagers that benefited from the project to take good care for their own good.
Musa Njie, Alkalo of Marsey (local chiefs) commended the sponsors and ComAfrique for coming to their aid adding that this project will give them clean light and also will help their children to study without fear of fire accident.
He urged the beneficiary to take good care of the lights and pay their contribution in time for the sustainability of the project.
Famara Dampha, , Implementation Manager of ComAfrique InverSol Initiative explained that ComAfrique InverSol has been operating in The Gambia since 2009 and has finished its 65 villages and 50 Rural primary health centres in the Gambia and 140 villages in Guinea Bissau.
He said these lights provide much needed illumination for the subscribers enabling them to perform necessary tasks during the evening / night and helping the children to study during late hours.
He added that “The contributions are very important to this initiative, I would like to tell all the beneficiaries of the lights to pay their contributions on time in order for this project to be successful,” he noted.
He also advised the villagers to work hand in hand with their village lights committee members for the sustainability of the project.
All the 260 solar lights have been donated to the eight villages ZonLight committee which in turn leases the solar lights to the people in the village and they agreed to pay a contribution of GMD 2 per day per bulb
Dampha pointed out that this contribution is collected and managed by the committee members and is called the village ZonLight Fund.
ZonLight Fund will be used to replace the Intelizon LED solar lights after 6 years and replace the solar light batteries every 2 – 3 years. Every 6 years, Villages will have a surplus fund from the ZonLight Fund collections that can be used for any development activity decided by the village.
He also thanked Gambia Experience for their efforts to sponsored eight villages in both CRR North and South The Gambia.
The light committee from each of the village will be responsible for the management and maintenance of the solar lights and will ensure the sustainability of the program.