Gambia experience august 2012
Gambia is known as the land of smiles. It is the smallest country in Africa but its people are always happy and cheerful despite the difficulties that have to face every day, make it a great nation.
Most of the population subsists on fishing, agriculture and stockbreeding. Its main artery, the River Gambia, divides the country in two and provides a suitable land for cultivation but its residents don’t usually have enough means to work it properly. With a life expectancy of 54 years, an unemployment rate of over 50% and an average of more than 5 children per woman, life is a tough daily fight. Therefore, once again, Marjal Foundation has involved working with a local organization and providing means which have improved the quality of life in one of the villages of the country.
In August 2012 a representative of Marjal Foundation was in charge of visiting projects of the NGO Save the Gambian Orphans in the town of Jirong and coordinating the real needs of the population according to the Gambian Organization.
After a thorough study of the situation, action was focused on agriculture and fishing projects working in the social and economic development of the families living in this village to help provide a livelihood in the long term to enable them to prosper and not to be forced to emigrate. The community received:
For agricultural purposes: 1kg of onion seeds, 1kg of pumpkin seeds , 15.000 peppers seeds, 10.000 tomatoes seeds, 2.000 melon seeds and 1.000 watermelon seeds, all suitable for the climate of the area.
For fishing: a set of nets, ropes and others fishing tools for several different types of fish in the river Gambia.
The delivery of the donation was a big party, those attending were showing gratitude until the day of our departure and we immediately became part of that wonderful family. We enjoyed a great day of fishing in together with of the young captain and his assistants who proudly taught the art of handling their new nets, also participated in a planting day in the fields and were able to experience on our own how tough these jobs are and how they are carried out always with a smile, dedicated, this time, to Marjal Foundation.
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