GRCS organises Trade Fair for informal tourism entrepreneurs
By Sulayman Waan
The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) in collaboration with the Spanish Red Cross, Gambia Tourism Board and partners recently organised two trade fairs for informal entrepreneurs in the tourism industry at Palma Rima Beach.
The trade fair is part of GRCS initiatives to help the tourism informal enterpreneurs to recover from the econmic meltdown encountered during the tense period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It also meant to provide sales for informal tourism entrepreneurs such as fruit sellers, bird watchers and water trip service providers.
It could be recalled that during the tense period of COVID-19 the Spanish Red Cross in partnership with the GRCS provided COVID-19 monthly cash transfer relief funds to informal business people in the tourism industry. This fund aimed to help the beneficiaries to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, now GRCS further organized an open trade fair for the business people to market their products as well as help them to have sales.
Fabakary Kalleh, President for GRCS said the project aimed to help business people within the tourism industry to recover from economic losses that they encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He called on the public to support the entrepreneurs both in the trade fair and after it, saying: “I urge all to support entrepreneurs in the tourism industry.”
Mr. Kalleh is optimistic that the trade fair will provide a good market for the entrepreneurs to recover from the losses they encountered during the tense period of the novel coronavirus.
Alasan Senghore, Secretary General of GRCS noted that the GRCS does not only respond to emergencies but also helps victims recover from their losses.
In this regard, he said GRCS implemented the COVID-19 relief fund project to support tourism entrepreneurs to recover from the economic meltdown encountered during the tense period of the pandemic.
He said the GRCS has been very consistent and will continue the consistency to ensure people recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, he added, was implemented to complement government efforts.
“I am glad to be here and I am grateful for the partnership with you people working in the informal tourism sector,” he said.
Assuring GRCS continuous support to the tourism informal sector, he said: “We will continue to work with you and to support you in this process.”
SG Senghore thanked the European Union and Spanish Red Cross for their partnership and support to the GRCS. He further commended the GRCS board for its support and staff of GRCS for their commitment in providing humanitarian services to the public.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, Ebrima Jaye said the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected business people in the tourism industry but was quick to add that they were rescued by the intervention of the GRCS.
Jaye commended the GRCS and its partners for organizing the trade fair. He recalled that the monthly cash transfer had helped them a lot in sustaining their businesses.
“The GRCS could have put the resources into other areas but they deem it necessary to support us when we needed it most. They shared the money judiciously,” he said.
Fatou Ndoya from Banjul Craft Market said: “We have seen the support you rendered to us. You are still supporting us and we are definitely happy with you.”
SW/COB/23/06/23
