Yankuba Touray, the Secretary of State for Fisheries and Water Resources on Monday September 10, 2007 inaugurated a new community solarized reticulation water system in Sare Samba village, Lower River Region. The project is under the Unicef assisted Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project, a release issued by Unicef’s Banjul office states.

The new facility provides clean water throughout the Sare Samba community with a total of six taps, two at the Sare Samba Lower Basic School, a Girl Friendly Facility and four in the village.

Speaking at the ceremony, SoS Touray said the project brings relief to the children in particular and the Sare Samba community in general for they no longer need to bear the burden of fetching water thereby compromising their right to education.

For her part, the Unicef representative to The Gambia, Min-Whee Kang acknowleged the role the Department of Water Resources played in implementing  the solar reticulation system for the entire village. She added, “Unicef applauds the strong commitment of the government towards improving the lives of the children and women of The Gambia and fulfilling its duties to realize their right to survival and development”.

She then advised that an effective water management committee trained by the Department of Water Resources be set up as soon as possible to oversee the functioning of the water supply system.