The National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) has identified lack of proper documentation as a major obstacle hindering the enrollment of beneficiaries into the NAFA cash transfer program in Kombo.
Malang Janneh, Administrative and Human Resource Officer at NaNA, made the revelation during an enrollment exercise held on Wednesday. He explained that many prospective beneficiaries arrive at registration centers without valid identification, making verification difficult.
“Some people come without documentation. You cannot just tell me your name is Mariama without showing proof. What if someone else has already registered under that name? This is why we insist on proper documentation before enrollment,” Janneh stated.
He noted that obtaining the required documents is often time-consuming, sometimes taking an entire day, which slows down the process and limits the number of people registered. “In some areas, we may end up registering fewer than 20 people,” he added.
Expanding Coverage
The NAFA cash transfer program, implemented under the Resilience, Inclusion, Skills and Equity (RISE) Project — a Government of The Gambia initiative funded by the World Bank — is currently expanding to additional districts in the Kombos, as well as the Kanifing Municipality and Banjul. The program aims for nationwide coverage, with beneficiaries validated by community leaders before enrollment.
Janneh further highlighted that some individuals lack any form of identification, Gambian or foreign. “We observe that some individuals do not have any documents at all. Sometimes they fear presenting their documents might lead to disqualification, but that is not the case. Even foreigners are not automatically excluded. We encourage them to present whatever documentation they have so we can properly assess their eligibility,” he explained.
Enrollment Process
Validated beneficiaries are required to present themselves with two household members and provide identification such as a national ID card, voter’s card, passport, or driver’s license. During registration, photographs are taken, and women are prioritized as principal recipients of the cash transfers.
“The project encourages women to be the principal recipients of the funds. However, each household can have a secondary representative, referred to as a proxy, who can collect payments if the principal is unavailable. Over the three-year duration of the project, the proxy is expected to collect funds only a limited number of times,” Janneh said.
Beyond financial support, the program also integrates Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) to improve knowledge and practices in nutrition, climate change, and gender-based violence.
At the Bundung Borehole exercise, 11 individuals were registered, with six households successfully enrolled. Janneh urged beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly and in line with the program’s objectives.
Communication Challenges
In Tallinding, Fatou Cham, Nutrition Field Officer for the West Coast Region, pointed out communication difficulties in reaching beneficiaries. “Sometimes when we call, the number is incorrect. In other cases, beneficiaries lose their phones and switch to new numbers without updating us. This makes it difficult to contact them for enrollment,” she said.
