The Association for Promoting Girls and Women’s Advancement in The Gambia (APGWA) on Wednesday February 14, donated equipment and learning materials worth over D3M to 14 beneficiaries at a presentation held at the Buffer Zone in Tallinding.

Deputising for the Vice- President and SoS For Women Affairs, Ms Angela Colley, SOS for Tourism and Culture said the contribution of women in nation building is very crucial to the socio-economic development of any country.

She said women’s empowerment should take a centre stage in the development plans of the government. She said the intervention of the NGOs and Civil Society Organisation such as a APGWA that have taken it upon themselves to solicit funds for assisting women, youths and the children is a laudable gesture.

Binta Jammeh Sidibeh, Executive Director (APGWA) for her part, gave an overview of her association since its inception in 1992 adding that APGWA is operating in over 90 villages country wide.

Ruth Hilbert, Regional Co-ordinator for Terre Des Mommesthe Southern Sahel, whose organisation donated the materials, thanked APGWA for a close partnership with her organisation for the past 13 years.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay, Speaker of the National Assembly, Fabakary Toubong Jatta NAM for Serrekunda East and Ousman Yarbo of TANGO. Certificates were awarded to various persons, among them Veep Njie- Saidy.