St. George’s Guild-The Gambia Project, a charitable scout organisation based in Denmark, in collaboration with Gambia Boden Powel International Scouts and Guild Fellowship on Friday, donated various items to 28 institutions in the country, at a presentation ceremony held at the Serrekunda General Hospital in Kanifing.

The donated items include educational, health, agricultural, scouting and vocational materials.

The beneficiaries include the Royal Victoria Hospital, Serrekunda General Hospital, Immigration Department, Soma Skill Centre and Armitage Senior Secondary School.

Presenting the items, Karin Boldsen, chairperson of the project, said the donation is the fourth in one year, adding that a container loaded with medical items is on the way to The Gambia. She said that since the inception of their project, thirty years ago, their focus has been on building schools in the country, notable among which are the Soma Skills Centre and Sanyang Nursery School.

“But now, our project focuses on sending materials to needy Gambian institutions. We also focus on providing scholarship opportunities for vocational and nursery school students,” she said.

She disclosed that the materials donated were collected by  retired scouts in Denmark, who she said, have committed themselves to assisting Gambians despite being old.

Receiving the gesture on behalf of the beneficiaries, Kawsu Tambedou, chairman of the Armitage board of governors, commended the donors for the gesture. He added that this is not the first time the school is benefiting from the project, noting that the school received 250 beds from the last consignment. He then assured the donors that the items would be properly used.

Pa Omar Bojang, project coordinator, said the gesture is meant to complement the government’s efforts in all sectors, noting that the government alone cannot do everything. He used the occasion to challenge Gambians in the diaspora to organise themselves into associations to render assistance to those back home.

Ousman Semega-Jagne, secretary-general of the Gambia Boden Powel International Scouts Guild/Fellowship, echoed similar sentiments and urged the beneficiaries to use the materials for the intended purpose.