By: NyimaSillah
Samba Keita Sponsorship and Program Coordinator for Foni Ding Ding Federation said ChildFund the Gambia has provided 99% Funds to Foni Ding Ding Federation, a community-based federation.
Speaking to reporters at his office in Foni, during a recent nationwide tour, Mr. Keita revealed: “ChildFund has been our main sponsor in helping the youths discover their potentials. 99% of our funds come from ChildFund. They operate from the entirety of the block and have recently expanded to LRR.”
Giving an overview of the Federation and its partnership with ChildFund, he revealed that Foni Ding Ding through ChildFund has also helped numerous families in terms of health and education, adding that they have constructed 3 community clinics namely Kampasa, Somita, and Kassagne Community Clinics which are in the process of handing over to the community before finally taking over by the government.
According to him, the Federation seeks to provide medication to the sick most especially the children and nutritional surveillance in partnership with the National nutrition agency.
He went on to say in the area of child protection, the Federation through ChildFund has set up a girls group that are trained after registration to understand the dynamics of child protection and also use them as agents of change to child marriages.
He noted that the Federation has 13 community groups who are in partnership with the department of Social Welfare and has been able to establish aid community groups to serve as child protection mechanisms in their communities so as to support those communities in terms of issues affecting children.
The federation has also improved the numeracy and literacy skills of children and empowerment of youth through vocational training.