The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) recently concluded a three-day basic first aid training for more than fifty refugees from the troubled Senegalese region of Cassamance.

The training was conducted at Kampanti in Foni Berefet district. It was aimed at building the skills of the refugees in life saving techniques as well as scaling up their community-based first aid actions through the power of humanity.

The training was not concerned with only physical injury or illness but also with other initial care which include psychosocial support for people suffering from emotional distress which is normally caused by experiencing or witnessing traumatic events.

In his presentation, Lamin Saidy, the instructor highlighted that first aid knowledge increases the social responsibility of the society and also the strengthening of humanitarian values in alleviating human sufferings.

The training, he said will expose participants to different hazards in various communities, and it will give them the confidence in responding to emergency to render care and support. He noted that first aid is an act of humanity showing willingness to serve lives with respect and without discrimination.

Siaka Bojang, who spoke on behalf of the participants, thanked the Gambia Red Cross Society through Saidy for endowing them with what he called a ‘worthy’ skill.

At the end of the training, the different communities were each given a well equipped first aid box for use in the case of accidents.