FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Isatou Bittaye and Gubairu Janneh
25 October 2007
The University of The Gambia (UTG) and St Mary's College Maryland (SMCM) through its exchange programme on Saturday, October 20, conducted a field study trip to Sibanor and Somita villages in Foni.
The visit came as a result of a course being offered in the programme "Policy Issues in Poverty and Development." The aim of the visit was to examine the standard of living of the people in the village, development initiatives and its impact on the lives of the people, achievements, constraints and challenges of the people in the village. The students led by Mr. Gumbo Ali Touray, Director of International Affairs, UTG and lecturer of the course, and Professor Femi Ojo Adeye, coordinator of St Mary's students in The Gambia.
The students were received at the Alkalo's compound of Sibanor, Banfa Ceesay and they conducted a tour of the town to see development projects before meeting with the Village Development Committee and elders of the town. They visited the WEC Missionary Clinic and were received by the doctor in charge of the clinic, Dr. Jemie Eskene. Dr. Eskene said that the WEC missionary church which gives general medical attention to the people was established since 1966. Dr. Jamie added that the clinic has a total of seventy to eighty staff including fourteen nurses and they have two ambulances. He said that they treat both Gambians and refugees along the border mainly on HIV/AIDS and malnutrition. He added that they train all their staff and over the years they used to have four and a half thousand admissions in a year but the rate has now dropped to a quarter. Dr. Jamie said they used to receive 10 cases of malaria a day but that too has now dropped as a result of the use of bed nets by the people. He said the treatment they give has greatly improved the lives of the people in Sibanor.
The team then proceeded to the water pyramid and met Mr. Sarjo Fabureh who explained to them the three types of water that are being recycled by the project. He said that they produced natural water, distilled water (purified water) and rainwater. Sarjo said the project is sponsored by Agro-Water System in Holland and was established in 2005 to give good quality water to the people as the town has poor water quality. He said that the project is on commercial basis but they sell the water at a reasonable price to the people.
He noted that a 10-litre gallon is sold at D3.00. The team later visited the police post; lower and upper basic schools and the CCF Dingding Bantaba Day Care Nursery School. Mr. Sainey Jarju, Chairman of the Day Care Nursery School, said the school was established in 1984 and has 9 classrooms, and registered 252 students. Mr. Jarju added that they have sponsors from America and Taiwan and their main constraint is the lack of adequate recreational materials for the students. The team later held a meeting with the Village Development Committee and elders of the town. Mr. Ba Ansu Sanneh, a member of the committee, said Sibanor is the center from Brikama to Jarra Soma and is densely populated. He said that they have a Nursery, Primary and Upper Basic School, police post, Gamtel post, mosque and a church, market, clinic and an agricultural center. Mr. Sanneh said they also registered development in sports as they organise Newettan every year and they were also registered as a zone and took part during zonal competition. He said that women are engaged in gardening and rice cultivation.
He also said their constraints are a senior secondary school, water and electricity, mini stadium to develop sports and an expanded market. He added that they also want a skills centre for students who dropped-out of school and the improvement of their clinic. The lady Councillor, Ya Fatou Sanyang, said that the women face water problem for their gardens and also need a skills centre to help girls further their education. The students later proceeded to Somita village and met with the elders and the village development committee. Mr. Boto Sanyang, Secretary General of the VDC said they have a clinic, which provides health care for the people. He added that they also have four schools in the village and that sports develops as they engage in Newettan. Mr. Sanyang said that they register improvements in environmental protection and village structures. He said that the villagers through a "Tesito" project built the clinic and have one nurse who pays attention to the villagers. He said their main constraints are lack of senior secondary school, football field for sports development, and the problem of inadequate water supply, communication, and shortage of drugs to run the clinic. Mr. Sanyang said they need a standard playing ground for sporting activities where they can generate funds to develop other sectors and good communication network as it is a set back for the villagers.
Marie Sanyang, a woman representative said they face problem of inadequate water supply for their gardens. Marie added that they need a milling machine as they pound their maize with their hands. She said that they also need additional nurses for the clinic, as the only nurse available cannot serve the whole community efficiently and effectively. Marie added that they struggle to pay their children's school fees and need assistance. She said that they need assistance to solve their problems and setbacks in the village. Sanna Badjie said they depended on farming which is mainly groundnut production which now yields a low output. He said that they depend on that small yield for food, clothing and other necessities which explains why their women also struggle to pay school fees for their children. He said that incentives and inputs should be provided for the farmers at an affordable cost in order to enhance productivity. He added that the villagers would now engage in collective farming to see whether their productivity would improve.
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