Safe Route To School Programme launched in The Gambia

Save Life Gambia in partnership with Medicare clinic and Maarif International School The Gambia on Friday 7 October 2022 launched a new project called "Safe Routes to School".

The sole aim of the Safe Routes to School project is to create safer walking and cycling or use of any other means of travel for students to and from school. This project is designed to support active travel infrastructure for schools’ community in The Gambia.

Mamadou Gassama, a representative of World Health Organisation (WHO) The Gambia said the initiative is welcomed by WHO. “We are all looking for people to come together to save lives because road traffic accidents are the first killers of young people between the ages of 5 and 29 years,” he stated. Added, walking, and cycling to school is fun but also give you the opportunity to know more about the community you live in". He hailed Save Life Gambia for the commendable initiative and challenged beneficiaries (students) to go in for more sustainable travel. Medicare clinic and Maarif International School The Gambia, partners of this project also expressed similar sentiment. They said, "School children need more than cross marked (zebra crossing) in front of their school gates, they also need something reflective such as Hi- Vis vests to increase their visibility to and from schools. They went further to encouraged drivers to share the roads equal with pedestrians especially children who are more vulnerable and challenged government of The Gambia to consider children and other pedestrians' safety when constructing roads.

Mr Dawda Bah is the founder and executive director Save Life Gambia. He said, "The Safe Route to School programme is part of our school's road safety campaigns working to providing knowledge and better infrastructure for schools communities in The Gambia. As the project launched late this year, Save Life Gambia, looks forward to working with relevant authorities and stakeholders in this course so that we can make a real difference in protecting our future generation.” All schools (government & private) operating in The Gambia are eligible to apply for the Safe Route to School programme.

He said Save Life Gambia and Medicare Clinic are planning to renew their partnership in 2023 and if that happen, will be offering basic first aid skills and techniques training that would help students to be the first responders to accident when it happens. Safe Life Gambia is a national youth led non-profit organization registered in The Gambia to support Government and relevant authorities’ efforts to reduce road accidents through education, advocacy, among others.

This programme was backed by Medicare Clinic and Maarif International School The Gambia.

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