The provincial town of Bansang on Sunday joined over 400 cities and towns across the globe to take part in the United Nation’s World Food Programme and partners’ ‘Fight hunger: walk the world’.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lamin Darboe, the deputy Governor of Central River Region, said the World Food Programme (WFP) has served this country, especially through the school feeding program, without any condition. He stated that WFP was doing more than ever to support education for most if not all Gambian children.

Acknowledging WFP’s presence and contributions in the country since 1970, Deputy Governor Darboe stated that as a government, The Gambia was equally committed to ensuring food security. He said: “There are millions of children dying of hunger all over the world, so we try to look at life saving solutions. Eliminating poverty and hunger is the first Millennium Development Goal, which has been endorsed by all countries” he said.

Fatmata Seiwoh, the WFP representative, said ‘walk the world, fight hunger’ is the WFP’s largest annual global fund raising event which was first launched by TNT in 2004. “TNT has played an important role in raising awareness and funds for WFP’s fight against hunger”, she said. She added that over the past five years, TNT employees have raised over nine million Euros to support WFP’s school feeding programme, noting that hunger is the greatest threat to worldwide health. She revealed that every year, more people die from hunger related causes than from AIDS, Malaria, TB and other diseases combined.

Muhammed Touray, the regional education officer for Region 5, on behalf of the secretary of state for Basic and Secondary Education, commended WFP for their support.

He described the UN body as an important global agency which has accomplished many missions over the years in war and conflict affected nations. He then observed that the government  of the Gambia view WFP as a vital development partner, especially for children in rural communities.