Abubakarr Sidique Foundation For Needy and Orphan Welfare (AFNOW), a charitable organisation based In Gunjur on Saturday 23rd September donated learning materials to the needy and orphans in and around Gunjur. Items handed out includes exercise books, pens, pencils, set boxes, calculators, erasers, shoes among others. Nearly sixty students from Lower, Upper and Senior both Arabic and English schools were equipped with the materials.
The presentation ceremony was held at the Gunjur Visaca Bank hall where parents and other leaders converged. Speaking during the ceremony Bubacarr Janneh the coordinator of AFNOW said since the inception of the organisation they have made significant contribution in the education sector by sponsoring over two hundred students some of who are now employees, while others are pursuing higher education.
According to Mr Janneh, AFNOW organises summer classes for orphans and non oprhans at no cost. "This year, we spent D48,000 on facilitation and 675 students benefited from the free classes". The coordinator said his organisation is charged with the responsibility of helping orphans, the needy and widows. "Losing a parent should not make a child to lose his/her basic right to education. This is why we came up with this initiative so that we will help them to realise their potentials and achieve their goals in the future. We sponsor some orphans and needy and also provides micro finance facility for the widows". Janneh further thanked the donors and called for more support : "we are very much thankful to the people who have been supporting us individually and as groups, the Gunjurians in and outside of the country, Education Beat Poverty group and Giki Foundation both in Holland for their continued support. We still call for more support as more orphans, needy and widows are soliciting support from AFNOW".
He further appealed to the parents to keep motivating and encouraging their children to take education seriously and not to harass them at home. Omar Bojang a representative of chief Lamin Darboe thanked AFNOW for their support and urged the parents to also support the efforts of AFNOW by encouraging their children to focus on education by regularly attending school and studying hard at home.
Dembo Darbo who represented the Alkalo at the presentation and Demba Bah a guardian to one of the beneficiary also made similar remarks. AFNOW was founded in 2003 and started giving out learning materials to students in 2006. Since then the organisation has annually presented learning materials to the orphans and the needy before the beginning of every academic year.