The West African Birds Study Association (WABSA) in collaboration with The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) Saturday launched a one-year Youths Eco-Bridge Project in Kasewa Village in Upper Niumi District, North Bank Region.
Launching the project, Jato Sillah, Adviser to WABSA who is also the president of The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS), thanked the UNDP for funding the project.
He said the project is of a good initiation and it is timely as the whole of North Bank Region needs to be green, saying “it will counter windbreaks and desert encroachment will also stop.”
According to him, the project will create micro-climate change and climate sink in the North Bank Region, noting that it is part of the UNDP intention to cover the whole country especially the northern part.
Lamin Jobarteh, executive director of WABSA gave an in-depth background of WABSA saying it was formed in 1994 to support government and non-governmental agencies to formulate policies that will effectively mainstream birds study and environmental protection, also play a vital role in sustainable development of the country.
According to him, 2500 bags of mangrove propagules will be planted within a period of one-year, noted that the project was launched in Kasewa village but will be extended to other communities in the region.
The executive director reiterated that the project was funded by the UNDP and is targeting the youth folk within NBR while informed them that the region is severely hit by draught thus the project comes to address climate crisis issues hence youths formed the workforce of the country.
The project he added will provide green job for Kasewa villagers, its catchment areas and other communities in general; GRCS and WABSA are implementing the project.
Alkallo of Kasewa village, Alieu Mendy, Mariama Berti, Isatou Njie and Pierre Mendy all commended UNDP and WABSA for taking the lead and funding the project. Similar exercise was held at Darslami village in Jokadou on Sunday.
