By: Nyima Sillah
The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) Thursday, 9th June 2022, launched a D21 million European Union cash grant project in a ceremony held at GRCS headquarter in Westfield, KMC.
The Project dubbed EU Covid-19 Project aims to support and strengthen the public health and socio-economic systems to reduce the impact of the covid-19 pandemic in The Gambia. It is funded by the EU and implemented by GRCS in partnership with the Spanish Red Cross.
A total number of 415 individual members and the eight (8) selected associations of the tourism industry will benefit from the project support includes National Tour Guides, Craft Markets
Federation (Craft Vendors and Producers), Hairdressers Association, Bird Watchers Association, Fruit Sellers Association, Juice Pressers and Boat Owners Association of Sarro Denton Bridge.
According to GRCS, each selected individual member will receive a maximum amount of GMD 37,000.00 cash grant to either re-start or diversify his/her business while each of the selected eight Associations will receive a collective cash support of GMD 510,000.00, to build or renovate their damaged structures that was caused by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The project team selected the beneficiaries based on vulnerability criteria, Business Plan Proposal, Digital Literacy, Book-keeping and coaching.
Training was also provided to these beneficiaries to provide technical assistance to resume or create small or medium businesses post alarm state, including technical support (business plan) and to support the restoration of community micro-financing systems. (In coordination with main stakeholders and government institutions).
In his remark, Jatto Sillah, president for GRCS said this project is significant to improving the socio-economic situation of people working in the informal sector of the tourism industry.
He noted that many sectors of the economy have shown a decree of recovery from the severe economic meltdown by the COVID-19 pandemic but the informal sector of the tourism industry remains stagnant.
“For this reason the EU through the Spanish Red Cross and GRCS outline this programme of assistant so as to help the sector and association to rebuild the tourism sector which has been seriously dilapidated due to slow down of tourists’ arrival in the country,” he said.
Carla Sala, project manager for the Spanish Red Cross commended GRCS for the initiative. She said the project has been successful due to the collaboration among partners in this project.
This project, she will support business infrastructure for the beneficiaries and added the project has provided training for the beneficiaries. While assured, continue working with GRCS, partners and beneficiaries to ensure sustainable development.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Gibril Sanyang, President of Craft Market Association described the intervention as timely, saying the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected the livelihood of people working within the tourism industry, especially the informal sector. “This project will go a long way in helping us to recover from the effects of the pandemic,” he noted.
Giving an overview and background of the project, Alasan Senghore, SG for GRCS said when the COVID-19 pandemic knocked the country GRCS designed both short-, medium- and long-term strategy plans to respond to the pandemic.
“We focus on two aspects of our planning. One was responding to the COVID-19 (health responds. That was to cut down, stop transmission to save lives. The second was to sustain health but in the short- and long-term medium,” he said.
SG Senghore said the only mechanism to address challenges facing the public is a greater need for collaboration and partners among people and institutions in the country. He said the government alone cannot address the challenges and GRCS alone cannot as well. Therefore, there is a need for partnership and collaboration.
He thanked the EU for the consistency support towards GRCS over the years, commended the Spanish Red Cross for the support and advised the beneficiaries to use the resources wisely. “The minister of Tourism has so much supportive to us in our endeavours,” he added.
Corrado Pampaloni, EU Ambassador to The Gambia said the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the whole world and the Gambia is no exception.
However, he said this project comes to strengthen the health sector by providing personal protective equipment. The cash transfer aspect of this project, he said, will help to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 to the beneficiary. “Cash transfer is the most effective and efficient way of distributing emergency aid,” he noted.
