The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) are sponsoring 671 refugee children in 14 border schools in the Western Region.

This was revealed by the dissemination co-ordinator of GRCS Mr.Lamin Gassama recently in an interview with this reporter. He revealed that they also provided first aid training and equipment boxes to the communities and the refugees.

Mr.Gassama also revealed that free medical assistance was paid for the refugees at Sibanor, Kafurta and Sulayman Junkung General Hospital.

He said that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Zone Office in Dakar also assisted the refugees with blankets and mosquito nets.

He said that the CRS and WHO also assisted with long lasting nets while Humanity First, GRCS and Danish Friendship Society also intervened with second hand clothing for the refugees through GRCS and UNHCR.

For his part, Mr. Buba Darboe, disaster management coordinator and head of relief and livelihood for disaster victims, said “This is part of the GRCS initiative to strengthen the host community through the population movement projects. This is achieved through providing materials and equipment such as the rehabilitation of four hand pumps, 65 wheelbarrows for sanitation, 300 rakes, 300 cutlass, 115 hoes, 100 spades and many more items to improve the livelihoods of the refugees and their host communities.”