It is a common saying that your best friend is the one who assists you to become what you want to be. The same goes with nations. In exercise of their right to association, the best partner is the one that aids in the other's development process. In this regard, we commend the United States embassy for services they render to facilitate the development of this country particularly rural areas.

The move by the US embassy to sign over D1m contract with 13 community-initiated projects covering all the regions in the country, under its Special Self Help Project Agreement Program is not only in line with the participatory rural appraisal mechanism of development but also, it has come at a much better time; a time that The Gambia government under the dynamic leadership of President Jammeh is uplifting the standard of living of the citizenry. The news that the communities would benefit from projects like wells to provide water for the communities, provision of beehives for a bee keeping association, provision of milling machines for village women's groups and a support for IT training for teachers to help improve computer education in Gambian schools among others, is a testimony that empowering the rural people is one of a priority of the embassy.

As the ambassador himself puts it "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; we get to be part of your community's development; the Self Help Program 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 a real contribution, through labor, material or money. It ensures that the community stays involved at all levels and empowers them to take responsibility for the future of their development. It is through such cooperation and community involvement that true development can succeed".

What is now important is that the ball lies in the court of the beneficieries; they should understand that there are many other communities who are in need but were unlucky as they are. They should endeavour to take full ownership of the project; ensure its sustainabliy and above all endeavour to transfer their knowledge and skills to the other communities. Development requires the effective participation of the very people for whom the outcome of the development process is meant for; the US embassy has undoubtedly set the pace for the uplifitment of the standard of living of the people at the grassroots. Taking ownership of such a tangible gesture is in the best interest of growth and progress.