Bob Powell Gambia Schools and Health (BPG), in collaboration with Prior Training Services (UK), a non-political, non-profit-making and charitable organization, is holding a free first aid and life-saving training skills at the Palm Beach Hotel in Senegambia.

The first aid course, which runs from Mondays to Wednesdays each week, has been going on since last month and it continues till 30 November this year.

The aim of the course is to train Gambian youth on live-saving skills so as to minimize the frequent occurrences of accident in the country, particularly on the beaches.

According to the chairman of BPG, Bob Powell, his organization felt the need to help, train and educate the poor and needy by giving them intensive and quality training on life-saving skills to serve the nation and humanity.

He said the initiative also complements the effort of the government and the health department in health care delivery.

Mr Powel also said his organization will concentrate on helping not only the health but also the education sector as they are sending some learning materials, such as computers, books and pencils, which will be handed over to the Secretary of State for Education as soon as the materials arrived in the country.

For her part, Jeraldine Haans, a first aid trainer on life-saving skills, said she chose to come to The Gambia to give free first aid training on life-saving skills, specially to those on the beaches, to reduce the loss of lives in the country.

She added that presently they would focus on the beaches as the tourism season is in progress.

In his remarks, Pa Abdou Sarr, secretary general of the Gambia Beach Bar Association, called on the youth of The Gambia to join BPG’s free training programme so as to contribute towards the success of this year’s tourism season as well as to the healthcare delivery system in the country.