The United Nations Children Emergency Funds (UNICEF), The Gambia, on Thursday September 20, handed over two Toyota vehicles and seven Yamaha motorcycles with helmets worth fifty-one thousand, nine hundred and thirty-five dollars (USD $51,935) to the Women’s Bureau, Tostan Gambia and the department of Social Welfare, to support the implementation and monitoring of child protection activities in the Upper River Region of The Gambia, at a colourful presentation ceremony held at the UN House in Cape Point, Bakau.

The Women’s Bureau received a Toyota Hilux double cabin and a motor cycle; Tostan-Gambia received a Toyota Land Cruiser and six Yamaha motorcycles, while the department of Social Welfare received a Yamaha motorcycle.

Handing over the keys to the beneficiaries, Ms Min-Whee Kang, Unicef Representative in The Gambia commended the partners for their concerted and tireless efforts towards protecting children, especially those who are hard to reach and are often forgotten and invisible.

According to her, the purchase of these vehicles falls within the framework of the government of The Gambia-Unicef Country Programme of Cooperation 2007-2011, specifically the Child Protection Project which focuses on protecting children against abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation, including sexual abuse and exploitation, child trafficking, harmful traditional practices, baby abandonment, and corporal punishment amongst others.

She added that the vehicles and motorcycles handed over are expected to help Unicef’s partners cover more ground in their outreach to children and families in remote communities, ensuring the rights of the child everywhere.

She added: “Through this project, Unicef plans to support the government in establishing, by 2011, mechanisms to protect children, especially the most vulnerable, against abuse, exploitation and violence,” she stated.

While maintaining that Unicef is mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, the Unicef Boss added that, partners are responsible for the proper use and maintenance of the donated items, noting that they are to be used solely for the intended purposes.

Speaking earlier, Bakary Tamba, National Project Coordinator of Tostan-Gambia, commended Unicef for their intervention noting that the items will ease transportation in the field and enable them to reach those remote communities in which they have to implement their programs. 

According to Tamba, this is a clear manifestation of Unicef’s commitment to collaborate with Tostan to successfully achieve its objectives in The Gambia adding that it will also be a pilot project in the entire sub-region.

Fanta Bai Secka, Director of Social Welfare assured the donors that the items donated will help a great deal in their activities in the Upper River Region and Central River Region, as according to her, they plan to set-up child protection committees at community level for the protection of children and sensitisation of communities on child protection issues, adding that it will also enable the social worker to work and monitor activities of the teams.

Ida Faye Hydara, Executive Director of the Women’s Bureau expressed similar sentiments.