Action Aid to build on Gambian expertise to fight poverty

By Frederic Tendeng
Dr Ramesh Singh, the chief executive officer of Action Aid International, on Thursday disclosed that his organization is firmly resolved to help fight poverty in the Gambia and counts on the local expertise to achieve that goal.
Dr Singh who was visiting the Gambia said “Action Aid has now established a board of directors, made of credible, reputable and competent Gambian citizens.’’ The board, he added, would provide greater support to the country director and her team.
Dr Ramesh Singh has worked with Action Aid for over 20 years. He began his duties in The Gambia, as Country Director, before he later went to Ethiopia, Nepal – where he was born – and Vietnam, as Asia Regional Director in Bangkok, as Operations Director in London and as Action Aid International’s Chief Executive since December 2003.
Speaking after a meeting with the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Isatou Njie-Saidy, Dr Singh said “Action Aid was able to do excellent work in Gambia over the years due to the excellent support it received from the government”. He expressed gratitude to the government for its support for Action Aid operations during the past years.
This, according to him, gave him the opportunity to ask for the Gambia government’s new support as regards development issues affecting women.
“I had the opportunity to discuss with the vice president on various issues of interest. We raised issues about Beijing +15, of which I hope that the vice president will support and bring on the issues of possibility of implementing the UN General Assembly resolution of establishing a baseline for women in The Gambia”, Dr Singh said.
Action Aid is an international anti-poverty agency whose aim is to fight poverty worldwide. Action Aid has existed in the Gambia for over 30 years. Some of the achievements made by the Gambian branch include the construction of schools, cooperatives, supporting women gardeners and capacity building, among others.