Global Day of Action against Climate Change celebrated

World-wide millions of people and thousands of organisations came together to take action on Saturday 6th December to raise awareness within communities about the important issue of Climate Change.

This year for the first time in The Gambia the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET) Climate Care Group organised an event to support government efforts in sensitising communities on how to improve the environment.

This event was celebrated In collaboration with the Sifoe Senior Secondary School. Over 200 fruit trees were planted in the school compound. The trees will not only contribute to fight Climate Change by absorbing carbon but will benefit the school and the community of Sifoe by producing essential food stuffs with a high nutritional value.

In a brief speech, the principal of the school, Sarjo Jobe, thanked the ASSET Climate Care Group for their generous donation of trees and welcomed the collaboration of civil society and other educational institutions. He assured the gathering that the students of the school will make every effort to care for the trees for the benefit the school and the Sifoe community at large.

In his address, Richard Shih, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) - who are also the main sponsors of the school emphasised the need for collective responsibility to care for the environment. Ambassador Shih expressed delight with the initiative and thanked the climate group for inviting him to grace the event.

The chairman of ASSET's Climate Care Group, Momodou Lamin Kinteh, pointed out that it is important that all sectors of society work together in order to improve the environment. He said the climate group under his leadership is committed to promote positive actions throughout The Gambia and to initiate a number of diverse programmes apart from tree planting to raise awareness with Gambian communities.

He thanked all those who participated in the event, particularly the school and its principal, for their excellent cooperation. The occasion was attended by members of the ASSET Climate Care Group, teachers, students and the community of Sifoe.