The Governor of Central River Region, His Excellence, Ganyie Touray, recently paid a visit to the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre in Niamina East.

The chimp rehabilitation project is the brainchild of Mrs. Stella Brewer Masden and according to Ms. Brewer, the long-term sustainability of the project and the national park can be guaranteed if the local communities are able to derive some benefits from the initiative. Speaking during the visit, the CRR governor commended Mrs. Brewer for complementing Government’s efforts in conserving and preserving wildlife that are threatened with extinction.

For his part, Headmaster of Sambel Kunda Lower Basic School, Mr. Darboe, hailed Ms. Brewer for setting up a conservation education programme under which she sponsors 340 students. He also thanked her for building a much-needed clinic for the communities in the area.

Mr. Darboe also thanked Mrs. Brewer for establishing The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust Fund to help rural Gambian farmers.

He did not also forget to commend Mrs. Brewer for building a library fully equipped with books as well as allocating a monthly allowance of D200 to the staff of Sambel Kunda school.

For her part, Mrs. Brewer said the chimp project also aims at stemming rural/urban migration, rural poverty as well as enhancing productivity.