By: Haruna Kuyateh
National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) under the World Bank NAFA project recently held sensitization exercise on cash transfer intervention in Sabach Sanjal.
The exercise held at Kerewan North Bank Region district targeted most vulnerable families and aimed to take stock on the impact of project and scaling up intervention covering 7 districts.
Governor Lamin Saidykhan thanked NaNA and donor for providing support to vulnerable families to mitigate hunger and poverty.
He said the intervention of NAFA Cash transfer in Sabach Sanjal district has imparted positively on the lives of vulnerable families while he called on the beneficiaries to sustain the gains registered.
The Governor noted that the scaling up NAFA to cover North Bank Region would obviously help to address malnutrition and enhance social inclusion and poverty reduction.
Malang Fofana, Deputy Executive Director at NaNA underscored the significant of targeting most vulnerable families in society, saying it is to help address malnutrition and enhance household income. He noted that NAFA project promotes social financial inclusion and discipline to ensure the support transform lives of vulnerable families.
Deputy Executive Director Fofana hailed the important roles the Members of Technical Advisory Committee and Multidisciplinary Facilitation Teams played in advancing development objectives to bring about sustainable development.
He added that the project intervention aimed to build resilient, uplift beneficiaries from poverty and fight malnutrition. He, therefore, expressed concerned on high rate of under nutrition and called for concerted efforts of all and sundry.
Jankoba Jabbie, Director of Social Welfare affirmed that NAFA project promote partnership and collaboration in accelerating respond to social protection and social safety net program. And the cash transfer will contribute to uplift poverty through maximisation of resources.
He assured that the project will continue to build and enhance capacity of vulnerable families to boost up resilient building and economic growth while he described the regional engagement as vital in reaching most vulnerable families in society.
Abdou Axis Ceesay Director of Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) at NaNA made a presentation on the significant of Gambia Social Safety Net Project and thanked World Bank and Government of Gambia for financing the project for a period of 4 and a half years, from 21st May 2019 to 29th March 2024.
He disclosed that as part of COVID-19 response $10million NAFA Quick cash transfer was spent to support beneficiary households.
Alagie Jawara Regional Community Development Officer also double as Secretary to TAC called on TAC and other stakeholders to be proactive in providing much needed support to NAFA.