The Daily Observer (Banjul)
Musa Ndow
5 November 2009
The embassy of the United States of America, yesterday, signed D 1 million contract with 13 community-initiated projects covering all the regions in the country, under its Special Self Help Project Agreement Programme.
The 13 communities would benefit from projects like wells to provide water for the communities, provision of beehives for a bee keeping association, milling machines for village women groups and support for IT training for teachers to help improve computer education in Gambian schools. Other projects included in programme are the renovation of some classrooms in two schools in the provincial villages of Kaur and Barrow Kunda, and support to The Gambia National Library with new shelves and IT software equipment.
The beneficiary communities were handed over their contract document and cheques at a signing ceremony held at the US ambassador's residence in Fajara. Shortly after handing over the project documents to the beneficiary communities, Barry L Wells, the US ambassador to The Gambia told the beneficiaries that the projects are all important and that the successful completion of these projects will depend largely on the involvement and commitment of their respective communities, as laid out in the agreement.
"Today we will put into effect the partnership between your communities and the US government and I would first like to congratulate each of your thoughtful submissions to the Ambassador's Special Self Help Fund. Through these grants, you have committed yourselves to bringing development to your communities and for that you should be very proud," said the US diplomat. According to him, from previous experience, they had the impact of the projects and expressed hope that this will result in an improvement in the quality of life for the beneficiary communities.
The US plenipotentiary told the beneficiaries that The Ambassador's Special Self Help Fund is one of the links between individual communities and the US embassy, and that it is one of the initiatives they are most proud of. Through this fund, Ambassador Wells went on, "we get to be part of your community's development. The Self Help Programme is different from most development programmes in that the projects are proposed and designed by the communities themselves, and the communities are the ones that must make real contribution, through labour, material or money," he stated. According to him, contribution ensures that the community stayed involve at all levels and empowers them to take responsibility for the future of their development.
Ambassador Wells further explained that it is through such cooperation and community involvement that true development can succeed. "Your projects went through a very selective and competitive process. We went through nearly 100 applications that were submitted from around the country, and you were selected. So I have no doubt that the projects selected will advance our mutual development goals.
The signing of the agreement is only the first step in our partnership and I challenge you to remain committed to your projects and see them through one hundred percent," Ambassador Wells stressed. The ceremony was chaired by Tashawna S. Bethea, political and economic officer of the US embassy.
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