As Gambia continues its battle against coronavirus, the North America Sukuta Association (NASUA), an organisation that was established to support its people, has on April 30 donated US $5000 (D258,750). 

The spread of this novel coronavirus or Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted people’s lives and livelihoods especially those in the local communities. 

At this difficult time, organisations are also battling with the virus in away by feeding people in need within their communities and across the country. 

Speaking on behalf of the Suluta community Alkalo Ba Ismaila Cham said he was pleased to receive such items.

For his part, Buba Cham, Chairman of the Village Development Committee (VDC) of Sukuta explained how the Sukuta community came with an idea to set-up a task force in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. 

Mr. Cham said that the task force has since been sensitising the community about the dangers of the coronavirus. 

“We’ve being going around the community to put hand-washing station all over the place. When we started, our efforts became known to Sukutarian all over the world, as a result – our brothers and sisters in the diaspora also came-up with a programme that says: ‘each person, feed one’.”

He added: “In doing that, they donated $5000 (US dollars) towards the mitigation of Covid -19. We know the fact that since the Covid-19 started, there are families today who cannot make their earnings as they used to.

“We are aware that markets are closed at 1pm. Businesses are also close but not early. A lot of economic activities have been affected, as a result of that.”

According to the VDC chair, the community has also raised some funds which they would use to buy essential food items for the needy people. 

Abass Cham, a member of NASUA who made the presentation of the cheque said this was not their first charitable donations to the Sukuta community. 

The bags of rice, onions, sugar and oil will be distributed to the most vulnerable people in the community. The event was held at Sukuta Health Centre.