The Gambia’s Ministry of Health is expected to receive at least 2,000 protective suits and shoes from the UN agency for migration, International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The protective costumes are said to have been produced by 20 Gambian returnees whom were mainly stranded in Libya and Niger, but they were trained in tailoring and sewing equipment.

In a statement IOM said: “To enhance the availability of basic medical supplies in The Gambia, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is mainstreaming COVID-related activities into existing initiatives.”

“As part of their reintegration assistance, 20 migrant returnees are producing up to 2,000 protective suits and shoe coverings. These will be donated to the Ministry of Health for the use of frontline immigration and border officials,” the statement added.

Items which are expected to be cleared by The Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB), one of its officials, Amadou G. Jallow, said: “The government is currently in need of these medical supplies, so this is a very laudable initiative. It’s even more pleasing that returnees will be able to earn income from this opportunity.”

Abdou Magidou Jallow, a returnee however lamented about Covid-19 challenges: “It really affected my tailoring business; we used to have a lot of customers, but now we hardly have any since many people are staying home.”

 “This is an opportunity for me and my fellow returnees to earn income and, at the same time, contribute toward combatting the pandemic,” he said.

Fumiko Nagano, IOM’s Chief of Mission in The Gambia, said: “This innovative initiative utilizes the skills of returnees to meet an urgent public demand.”

He added: “Just as people around the world are working tirelessly to fight the pandemic, we are very pleased to highlight the work of these returnees in The Gambia.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba