By Mariam Williams
Jurarim Organisation for Youth Excellence (JOYE) over the weekend donated food items, valued over 300,000 dalasis, to 30 different households.
The presentation of the food items–under the organisation’s scholarship package–was held in Brikama Jamisa.
JOYE’s Office Manager, Mr. Donald Ayo Greywoode, enunciated that as the world faces this COVID-19 pandemic, the safety & health of their beneficiaries is a top priority. With the current lockdown in place, he stated,”we want ensure that our beneficiaries are getting their basic food necessities met.
“Therefore, we are providing each family with a bag of rice, sugar, and oil.”. He said they know that most of the parents/guardians of their students are not currently engaged in any activity that would help put food on the table for their families.
Greywoode pointed out that JOYE, as an organisation, is stepping in to fill that gap at this unprecedented time. He recounted that over the years, “300 plus students have benefited from our sponsorship program, and 100 plus of them have graduated from high school”.
The Office Manager informed his audience that,JOYE USA through JOYE Gambia, has provided an amount of D300,000 to purchase the necessary commodities to supplement Government’s efforts in supporting needy families. He, however, said the same gesture is being replicated across the country.
Mr. Mathew Gomez told the ceremony that JOYE is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded over for 9 years ago, with the main objective of providing a beneficial learning environment for underprivileged children in The Gambia through education assistance.
Its original mission, as Gomez outlined, is to provide educational sponsorship to children from marginalized families, and the sponsorships include school fees, food program, excursions, after-school tutoring, hygiene products, and much more.
But they also engage in projects like clean water, seeding program and free summer tutoring and camp. He promised that they would continue to monitor the situation of JOYE beneficiaries and their families to assess the need for further assistance.
“In the mean time, we encourage you to adhere to the Ministry of Health’s orders regarding your safety against the disease,” Gomez told the Bakau beneficiaries.
Mr. Abdoulie Jammeh, JOYE Gambia Volunteer, urged students to make best use of their books, especially when there is no school due to the pandemic, but they can always follow lessons on the radios/TVs or online.
“I am also sponsored by JOYE up to my university level,” Jammeh enthused.
A student under JOYE scholarship, Mr. Ansumana Jatta, thanked the organisation for the scholarship as well as for encouraging the students and providing them and their families, with the food items during this difficult time when the country has recorded several cases of the COVID 19 crisis.
Jatta is of the opinion that, if others emulate JOYE Foundation by donating the needy families and Gambians at large, poverty could be easily chased away of this country.
Speaking on behalf of parents, Madam Penda Camara, acknowledged the food items will go a long way in alleviating hardships, especially in these trying times of the COVID-19 in the country when {most of} the places are all locked down.
She urged her fellow parents to make best use of the donated items by Jurarim Organisation for Excellence.
