U.S. Ambassador to The Gambia Sharon L. Cromer announced that U.S. Embassy Banjul will donate $250,000 in humanitarian assistance to The Red Cross to assist victims of the recent floods in The Gambia.

"The United States provides this humanitarian aid to help those affected by the recent floods which have caused substantial suffering to the Gambian people, including damage to homes and property, displacement, and health concerns," said Ambassador Cromer. "As partners who stand in solidarity with The Gambia, we want to reach those impacted by this terrible situation and offer assistance during this difficult time."

The Red Cross will use the assistance to reduce suffering and assist those most severely impacted, including parts of Banjul, Kanifing Municipality, West Coast Region, and North Bank Region. Specific aid provided by the funds include helping families offset the cost of repairing their houses, relief supplies for bedding and hygiene, and support for Red Cross mobile clinics, psychosocial services, and health and hygiene messaging.

"We thank the United States Embassy in The Gambia for their assistance," said Daniel Bolanos, Head of Cluster Delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Dakar. "Many people have been stranded, helpless, and are vulnerable as a result of the floods. We have already released emergency funds to support the Gambia Red Cross Society response and are grateful for this help from our U.S. partners to scale-up assistance efforts."

This donation from the United States is the latest of many forms of assistance provided to Gambians to enhance their health and well-being. Since the start of the global pandemic, the United States has donated more than 440,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to The Gambia through the COVAX program, as well as medical supplies through USAID. These efforts, along with other ongoing assistance programs, are part of the U.S.'s continuing efforts to build a strong partnership with The Gambian people.