The Foundation Humanitarian Aid Gambia has been established in 1999 and gained its status as fully registered NGO 7 in 2009. Since then, pioneers of the Foundation both within and outside the Gambia has worked tirelessly to meet its objectives in its drive to contribute their quarter in socio-economic development of the Gambia and by extension create favorable working relationship with relevant and affiliated stakeholders in a most respectable manner beneficial to all and sundry.

And as any well-meaning institutions, FHAG has set pillars of direction in the following sectors of life of Gambians with much emphasis on these key areas; Education, Health and Agriculture. Under all these sectors, we hereby summed up the activity report on the success and challenges of 2013.

Despite all odds in the operation of such an institution in a very challenging global situation, we are very proud of the committed members of the Board and through our line departments for a job well done. In a most fitting manner, we must at this juncture express our utmost appreciation and recognition of our donors and partners for making our work easier

Initiative I-a {Education}
FHAG attaches great importance to Government policy on education, making it accessible to every child in the Gambia. In line with these objectives in 2013, FHAG’s office at Brusubi awarded a full scholarship to over 37 students to undergo Basic, Senior and University Education. Out of which, 20 are orphans in the West Coast Region and the rest {17} are general sponsored students. All these students are deserving students whose parents are either not alive or are less privileged in meeting the needed resources to pay for their children’s tuition fees and books.

During the selection processes, FHAG realized so many gaps in terms of performance and punctuality of some of the students that are mainly caused due to their unfavorable living conditions at home. And as a result, extra attention and care has been taken to accelerate more support for them by making contributions to their families in the form of paying for uniforms, accommodation and food as well as clothing for the most needy once.

Initiative I-b
For several years now FHAG paid Bakadaji and Nafugan schools an annual contribution for cost of a school fund and for feeding program students in their respective schools. This payment exempted all students/parents from paying of which initiatives, continued in 2013. In addition to this, FHAG also offer help in the provision of other needs of the two schools when necessary

Initiative I-C
In 2013, FHAG provided 60 sets of furniture to Yuna Lower Basic School. This offer is done to make learning environment better for the students as well as teachers and thereby fulfilling our mandate in supplementing Ministry of education’s efforts in contributing to education sector.

Initiative D
FHAG has built a three Classroom block for St. Vincent de Paul School in 2013, a gesture that was aimed to provide good learning atmosphere for the teacher and students alike in the delivery of quality education for the community of Sanyang Village.

Initiative II-a {Health}
FHAG is successful in constructing a clinic in Bakadaji Village in Gimmara District. The All-inclusive management and operations has until 2013 been catered for by FHAG. The First MOU was signed between the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and FHAG that seeks to highlight and address the future operation of the clinic hence its running will end in the able hands of the department. In 2013, FHAG paid all the administration costs of the clinic including staff salaries, purchase and supply of all the needed drugs; provide the ambulance, fuel costs and maintenance services.

Initiative II-b
To sustain the long standing efforts of FHAG in building and operating a health Centre in Bakadagi Village in URR, a decision was made by the Board to start on the processes of handing over to the Government through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and as a result of which an MOU has already been signed to this effect.

The MOU entailed the following actions;
➢ FHAG to maintain its current staff for 6 months from the signing date
➢ Ministry of Health and Social Welfare provide main medicine supply
➢ FHAG to provide supplementary medicinal supply
➢ Ministry of Health to provide additional nurse to commence the handing over
➢ Ministry of Health to provide the Clinic with an Ambulance driver
➢ FHAG to renovate the main building and other facilities before December, 2014
➢ FHAG to provide borehole and reinforce the energy supply before end of December, 2014
➢ FHAG to totally hand over the clinic by the end of December, 2014.

AGRICULTURE:
Among the third important objectives of FHAG is Agriculture, of which, over 90% of the national economy and the employment level is highly relied on. As a complimenting force for the Government in this important but crucial sector, FHAG is hugely indebted with ambition to contribute in the form of strengthening the capacities of community women’s garden projects to maximize their input and output.

Initiative I-a
For many years FHAG invested so heavily in the women’s garden projects at Kandunku Village {Foni}. In 2013, FHAG organized several visits to Kandunku were together with the community, review all the previous activities sighting the rights and wrongs and agreed to search for amicable solutions. The meeting was followed with another visit where Solar and Water experts were invited to make recommendations. In the process, a solution was later found hence a sponsor agreed to fund and drills a borehole with all the necessary solar installations at no cost to FHAG.

Initiative I-b
In addition to the above garden project, FHAG is also engaged with Nafugan Women’s garden project where several wells were dug, provision of fence and seeds for the gardens.

The Report is compiled and written by: Phoday S. Touray,
Project/Office Manager, Foundation Humanitarian Aid Gambia {FHAG}.