The U.S. Embassy in Banjul has donated $250,000 in humanitarian assistance to the Red Cross to assist victims of the recent floods in The Gambia, Sharon L. Cromer, the Ambassador, announced on Wednesday.
“The United States provides this humanitarian aid to help those affected by the recent floods which have caused substantial suffering to the Gambian people, including damage to homes and property, displacement, and health concerns,” said Cromer.
“As partners who stand in solidarity with The Gambia, we want to reach those impacted by this terrible situation and offer assistance during this difficult time,” she said in a statement.
According to the statement the Red Cross will use the assistance to reduce suffering and assist those most severely impacted, including parts of Banjul, Kanifing Municipality, West Coast Region, and North Bank Region.
The statement pointed out that specific aid provided by the funds includes helping families offset the cost of repairing their houses, relief supplies for bedding and hygiene, and support for Red Cross mobile clinics, psychosocial services, and health and hygiene messaging.
Daniel Bolanos, Head of Cluster Delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Dakar thanked the US Embassy for the donation.