Gambia YMCAs Development Work
The Development Secretary has recently developed two Concept Notes and a proposal as follows:
1. CONCEOPT NOTE ON BICYCLE AMBULANCES
TITLE: BICYCLE AMBULANCES FOR TIMELY HEALTH INTERVENTION
TIME FRAME: 2 YEARS
BACKGROUND
This project is intended for the Kombo Manduar Tundo region of the Gambia, West Africa, where the majority of the population are living below the poverty line. Many villagers cannot afford one good balanced meal a day. Many of the villagers do not have the nutrients required to resist disease which result to frequent sicknesses in the area. The Kombo Manduar Tundo is also an area highly affected by malaria and HIV/AIDS.
Out of sixteen villages in the region, only five have health facilities. Residents of the other eleven villages must travel along poorly-maintained roads to receive medical attention, and motorized transport is costly and unreliable, especially in the rainy season. People die of malaria and other diseases because they cannot get to a health facility on time. Also, pregnant mothers who are in labor and cannot walk far distances have no option but to deliver their babies in their private homes, in unhygienic conditions.
Therefore lack of emergency transport, combined with the poor health and nutrition conditions brought about by poverty, causes unnecessary medical complications and deaths.
2. CONCEPT NOTE FOR INTERFAITH DIALOGUE
TITLE: BRIDGING THE GAP AMONG RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS
TIME FRAME: 2 YEARS
BACKGROUND
This project is intended for the Greater Banjul Area because it is an area where a great number of religious denominations are based and they are still on the increase. This Greater Banjul Area is a pluralistic, multicultural, multi-religious society in which dialogue with indigenous peoples and among people of different traditions is a requirement of social cohesion. Religions in this area are forever dynamic, evolving, changing, growing and they change and grow through historical contact with other traditions often in opposition or rejection, sometimes through incorporation, of ideas, symbols and rituals of those traditions.
Therefore Interfaith Dialogue is necessary in these areas because the Greater Banjul Area is a democratic society where everyone has the right to present and defend his/her own system of beliefs and practices even if other religious denomination may consider these to be inferior. Furthermore, with prophetic religions of Christianity and Islam whose teachings espouse peace, justice and reconciliation among peoples, and whose actions have not always followed these precepts in their relations with one another nor with people of other traditions including people outside their religious denominations interfaith dialogue is very vital.
This project is not intended to erect the new one-world religion but it is geared to help people accept that religious diversity is with us to stay and help beneficiaries to learn to work together cooperatively for the future of the world and realize there is a spirit of truth uniting all religions rather than adopt an attitude of isolation, conflict or competition.
3. PROPOSAL TO EMPOWER SCHOOL DROPOUT TEENAGE MOTHERS
PROJECT TITLE: RETURN TO SCHOOL EMPOWERMENT FOR TEENAGE MOTHERS (RESET)
TIME FRAME: 3 YEARS
BACKGROUND
This project is intended for Lamin Village which is in the Western Region of The Gambia. It has 8 wards (kabilos) and each ward has a head. The majority of families leaving in these wards cannot afford one good balance diet a day. A lot of girls drop out of school either because their parents cannot afford to pay for their schooling or because they get pregnant on the way. Most of these families live on less than $1.00 a day and the majority of them are families with six or more members which are mostly headed by females who are either widowed or are divorced. Some of these women family heads have no choice but to select who should be educated. In some instances if a girl child is given the chance to go to school and she happens to fail an exam once or twice then she could be taken out of school or even given a husband to marry so as to give chance to other members of the family. These girl children are never given the chance to attend a vocational school where they can learn other skills. Also due to poverty certain girl children are married off while they are in school with the husband making a promise that he will allow the girl to continue with her education and in the end the girl gets pregnant and leaves school. The project’s challenge is to eradicate the issue of girl child dropout in LaminVillage.
Note By: Please take note that sponsors are invited for the above intended areas of intervention by the Gambia YMCA. A full copy of these documents can be obtained upon request. Interested sponsors are kindly requested to contact;
Sophie SarrDevelopment Secretary
Gambia YMCAs Email Contact: ssarr@ymca.gm