By Yunus S Saliu
In making world a better place to live for the poor people in the community, Noor Aid Saturday, 7th December donated some food items, equipment and machines to the poor/less privilege and needy people across Kombo North, West Coast Region.
The distributed items to the poor and needy Gambians worth D1.2m and the items included – seventy-five (75) wheelbarrows, twenty (20) sewing machines, ten (10) welding machines, forty (40) large mattresses, seven hundred (700) 25kg bags of rice, vegetable oils, and bags of sugar.
Noor Aid is a UK registered charity organization based in Manchester with branch office in Wellingara, Kombo North, West Coast Region, with primary aim of helping the poor and needy in Africa and Asia, while much of its works are concentrated in The Gambia.
Among their benevolent to The Gambia is construction of four hundred and fifty (450) wells, borehole, mosques and madrassa in different communities in The Gambia,
Giving background of the organization in The Gambia, Hashim Bharucha, Director of Noor Aid in UK said on their first visit to The Gambia in 2002 they witnessed large Muslim population without even basic essentials need which include water, electricity, shelter for their home and adequate food to eat. The situation they met this population “inspired us to help the needy people and established Noor Aid,” he said.
Hashim encouraged beneficiaries to always remember to pray for those that provide the distributed items so that Almighty Allah can continue blessing them and help them to do more.
Saikou Marong, National Assembly Member for Latrikunda thanked Noor Aid for this largesse. He therefore assured the organization of continuous support they might needed to enable them further in their humanitarian works.
He elaborated more on the importance of the distributed items, which was not limited to food items but equipments, this he said help and enhance skill works and “Noor Aid is complimenting efforts of the government.
In his opening remarks, Ousman Darboe, SG Noor Aid Gambia related that between 7th and 12th December, Noor Aid will distribute additional 2000 or more bags of rice to the needy in different locations across the country.
He noted that those distributed wheelbarrows, sewing and welding machines among other equipment are meant for income generation purposes to the beneficiaries. He added that during the course of the five days distribution of items, Noor Aid will give cash money to support five hundred widows in different venues as well.
He outlined some of their past supports to the needy people and communities in the Gambia. This he said include construction of water wells, food and money distribution as over D6m was distributed to poor and needy people in different communities across the country during last Ramadan 2019.
Essa Darboe Director of Amana and Ousman Jammeh Country Director of Noor Aid among others also made remarks.