The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) recently held a one-day sensitisation workshop on climate change at its headquarters in Kanifing.

Climate change has now become a global concern and humanitarian institutions, such as the Red Cross movement have placed it on top of their agenda. In view of the looming challenges and fatal consequences its poses to nature and human life, the Gambia Red Cross Society signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Red Cross Climate Centre for the implementation of a climate change programme.

The main objective of the workshop was to sensitise the GRCS staff on the trends of climate change with particular focus on The Gambia’s situation and to what extent it affects vulnerable people therefore erecting a hurdle in the work of the Red Cross.

In his opening remarks, Alasan Senghore, head of International Federation of Red Cross for West and Central African Zone based in Dakar, Senegal, said GRCS has committed itself in the maintenance of peace initiatives and many other humanitarian voluntary services throughout its existence.

Mr Senghore remarked that The Gambia and her people in general has advanced its potentials in the UN’s reform in creating awareness on the issues affecting the climate which have become a global threat to the environment. He expressed his appreciation to GRCS for taking such a giant step in creating awareness on the dangers revolving around climate change and urged the participants to take full advantage of the opporturnities the seminar offered.

Speaking earlier, Lamin William Jammeh, secretary general of GRCS, said the workshop will help people to understand the risks associated with climate change. Jammeh noted that over the past years there has been a great increase in temperature, and  the occurrence of major disasters like the 2004 Tsunami that swept Indonesia and dozens of countries in South-East Asia.

Secretary General Jammeh revealed that the International Federation of Red  Cross with the Netherland National Red Cross Society came together and set-up a centre to help the GRCS personnel capacity building on climate change.

“I think as an auxiliary hand to government, GRCS has a role to play in sensitising people on climate change,” Lamin William Jammeh explained.

According to Ousman Jarju director of Water Resources at the Department of State for Fisheries and Water Resources, his deparments is committed to support any  initiative that will bring positive results on the issue of climate change.

He urged participants and organisers of the training to make good use of the workshop.

The opening ceremony was graced by Fatou Mass Jobe, president of the Gambia Red Cross Society and was chaired by Katim Nget, program officer at the GRCS.