Scores of rural Gambian mothers has described the Building Resilience through Social Transfer for Nutritive Security in The Gambia (BReST) Project as very educative, supportive and blissful to their livelihood, disclosing that the two hundred thousand ($200, 000) covid-19 cash support bankrolled by project during this period of covid-19 has also helped them to put food on their table for their kids and their families.
BReST Project is a two years three million dollars ($3, 000, 000) project been sponsored by EU in collaboration with UNICEF and implemented by the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA).
Since its inception the project has successfully made a monthly transfer of D600 – D6, 000 to women across the country, mainly rural dwellers whose means of earning are less than $1 a day.
Aminata Bah, a native of Farato Village, Upper River Region (URR) is among ninety beneficiaries living in Wuli West District of the country. For the past two years, she said, she has been receiving support from BReST project and equally benefitted from the covid-19 cash support from the project.
The 26-year-old mother said the project does not only accords her the financial power to support her family but equally gives her the knowledge that she relies on to take good care of the family.
“When I heard about this project I did not waste any time in joining, it has been very supportive to me and my little child because the funding I have been receiving is what I have been using to buy food and clothing for him without putting that pressure on his father. For the past two years I have been receiving six hundred dalasi each month through this project and this definitely helps me a lot in taking full care of my family,” Aminata Jallow expressed.
“This is the second time am also receiving financial support during this covid-19 period, last month I received one thousand five hundred (D1, 500) and this month I just received one thousand three hundred and twenty dalasi (D1, 320, 00) am really grateful for this support provided by BReST.”
Kaddijatou Jawneh, another beneficiary, a mother who received COVID-19 cash transfer at Nyakoi Village, attested that the support comes at the right time when many mothers are busy at the farms with limited resources to buy food, fertilizers and pay for labor. She noted that BReST project is one of the most impactful and result base project ever bankrolled in the region.
According to her, the BReST project has not only taught mothers the best practices of nursing and feeding of their children but equally providing them with money to buy food and clothing for the children without been dependent on their husbands.
Recounting the successes of the project, Kaddijatou Jallow also native of Nyakoi Kerewan disclosed that she was able to procure two goats for her kid since joining the project, noting that each month she deposits part of her D600 cash transfer from BReST Project to raise enough money to buy two goats for the sustenance of her family.
“Today I feel very happy to be called by NaNa for the second time in two months to receive D1, 320 as part of the BReST covid-19 support project. This will help me and my family in withering the negative impact of the global pandemic because through this cash donation we can be able to provide a lot of things for ourselves,” Kaddijatou Jallow disclosed.
Several other rural mothers including Sunkary Jarra, Sainey Ceesay, Adama Camara, Fatou Ceesay all of Brikamaba and Boiram Village of Lower Fulladu West all expressed their gratitude to NaNa, UNICEF and EU for providing them with BReST project, noting that the project has positively impacted their lives and that of their families.
According to them, three hundred and thirty four mothers have been benefitting from the BReST project in the region, noting that all of them have been receiving D600 cash Transfer from the project as well as benefitting D1, 500 and D1, 320 respectfully for the past two months which has help them in containing the negative impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.