Arabic School Handover Ceremony at Julanfari Village
 | Left to right (front): The Alkalo of
Bwiam (local interpreter); The Director
of St. Joseph's Family Farm; and
Ambassador Barry L. Wells listening to
the Refugee female spokesperson,
Juju Badjie |
On Tuesday, May 20, Ambassador Barry L. Wells handed over classrooms constructed with funds from the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Refugees to the community of Julanfari. In his remarks, Ambassador Wells informed the gathering that refugees do not leave their country by choice and are here because of what happened in their home countries. He praised the receiving village for its generosity in receiving the refugees. He said the Arabic school he was inaugurating today would help the children of both the refugees and their hosts in Julanfari, and added that it is always rewarding to help to people in distress. Other speakers included National Assembly Member Solo Darboe; Director of St. Joseph’s Family Farm, Mr. Marcel Badjie ; and Juju Badjie , the female spokesperson for the refugee community. All of them expressed their gratitude and pledged that the school would help educate Julanfari children for years to come. The ceremony was attended by all the media houses and dignitaries from the surrounding villages.
The handover ceremony demonstrated the USG’s support for education at the grassroots level, and highlighted the need to support vulnerable populations like refugees through the Ambassador’s fund for Refugees Project. The ceremony received extensive coverage on the Gambian national TV and radio stations and the story was carried on the front page of all the major newspapers.
|
|
