Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – ChildFund Gambia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), has taken a significant step towards reducing the number of out-of-school children in the country by donating 1,000 bicycles. On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, ChildFund Gambia presented the bicycles during a ceremony at their head office.

This donation is part of the “Zero Out of School Children” (ZOOSC) project, a three-year initiative aimed at enrolling over 66,000 children who are currently out of school. The bicycles will be distributed across 134 schools nationwide, addressing the transportation challenges faced by many students.

Nfamara Dabo, Country Director of ChildFund, highlighted the goals of the project in his opening remarks. He emphasized the organization’s commitment to ensuring all children in The Gambia have access to quality primary education. Recognizing transportation as a significant barrier to school attendance, ChildFund has pledged a total of 3,000 bicycles for the project. Dabo announced additional funding for another 700 bicycles, bringing the organization closer to achieving 70% of their target grant.

“The bicycles are purely for primary school children,” Dabo stated, reinforcing ChildFund’s dedication to the welfare of children and their education. He expressed gratitude to their partners, UNICEF and MoBSE, for their support in this impactful project, which has already enrolled over 29,000 out-of-school children.

Banuha Jatta, Education Specialist at UNICEF, underscored the importance of partnerships in advancing education. He stressed the need for safety and maintenance training for the bicycle recipients and urged regional directors to ensure the bicycles are used appropriately.

Kebba Omar Jarjusey, National Coordinator of the Education For All Campaign Network (EFANet) The Gambia, commended ChildFund for making education accessible and motivating children to attend school by providing bicycles. He reiterated the importance of ensuring every child has access to quality education.

Ibrahim Shaw, Principal Education Officer and Regional Director of Education for Region 4, appealed to donors to consider including children with disabilities in future consignments. He highlighted the challenges physically challenged children face in reaching distant schools and thanked ChildFund for their ongoing support of the education system.

ChildFund’s initiative, supported by UNICEF and MoBSE, is a crucial step towards reducing the number of out-of-school children in The Gambia. The provision of bicycles not only facilitates school attendance but also promotes the importance of education, particularly for girls. Through continued collaboration and support, ChildFund aims to ensure every child in The Gambia can realize their potential and access quality education.