Posted by By Sarata Jabbi
Residents of Manchester Kabilo, one of the communities in the Suburb of Basse in the Upper River Region (URR), haveon Saturday donated 33 solar lights to their community as partof activities marking the new community’s first anniversary. The event that was held at the kabilo’s square was attended bymembers of the organisation from the Kombos, religious and community leaders and other high-profile dignitaries fromacross the vicinity of Basse.
In an interview with The Digest News, the chairperson of theassociation, Mr. Modou L. Barrow, said the association was formed last year and their main objectives are; to promote education by ensuring that every child of the Kabilo isenrolled into school, to ensure that those who are already in school successfully complete their education, to eradicatehunger – by ensuring that no one in the Kabilo goes to bedhungry and; to assist members of the Kabilo with basichealthcare needs.
Mr. Barrow disclosed that since the inception of theManchester Kabilo, they’ve paid school fees for sevenchildren, adding that some payments were done behind closeddoors and the highest payment they did was university tuitionfees.
“We’ve rendered support to the sick e.g. by paying hospitalbills, buying medications, paying eye operation fee for somepeople, and we supported widows in the community, etc“.
According to him, during the month of Ramadan they provided sugar, bread, milk and other groceries to all the households in the Kabilo and even those that are not from the Kabilo benefited from that gesture too.
“With the support and commitment of the members we cameup with the idea of lightening the Kabilo, then we chargedeach other that every compound should provide two solar lights, and fortunately, all the compounds paid theircontributions. Other well wishers also donated to us. Some contributed towards the project and in total, we have 33 solar lights. We installed 25 solar lights in the Kabilo, 3 at theManneh Kunda cemetery and 3 at the Basse cemetery. The purpose of lightening the cemeteries is for the people to easilydo burial at night when the need arises. Today, after theinstallation of the lights our health experts decided to run a free clinic consultation for the Kabilo and gave freemedications to people within the Kabilo and its surroundinge.g. blood pressure check up, if anyone’s condition is beyondthem, they will refer them to the bigger hospitals,“ he furtherstated.
Barrow finally expressed gratitude to the entire Kabilo, thepresident of the association Alhagie Turo Jawneh, and all theexecutive members.
“Special thanks to Lamin Jawara and Omar Jarju for theirgenerosity. I would like to advise members to be united, respect one another, always communicate and share ideas, because lack of communication could bring different ideas and that won’t tell well about us,“ he noted.
For his part, the assistant secretary general of the associationMr. Alhagie MS Jabbi, delved on how the name Manchester came about. Mr. Jabbi said Manchester Kabilo is a community in Basse. “The geographical boundary is betweenManneh Kunda, Santo-Su and Angal Futa. The composition ofthe Kabilo actually surpassed physical boundaries; it is based on the relationship of our founding fathers within Basse,“ he revealed.
He disclosed that the name of the Kabilo got recognition twodecades ago when Manneh Kunda organised a memorialtournament for the late Nenneh Fatou Manneh.
“Our Kabilo participated in this tournament and reached thefinals, which was a surprise but what surprised everyone mostwas the erection of a big billboard by the youths at theentrance of Manneh Kunda which reads, ‘welcome toManchester Street‘. This was an open announcement of a newcommunity in Basse, Jabbi further stated.
Jabbi said: “We know a community as a social group of peoplewho interact with each other or organize themselves aroundshared values, goals or geographical areas. This is exactly thereason why Manchester Kabilo was founded. The Kabilocame solely to give a sense of belonging to a group of peoplewho doesn’t know or found it difficult to identify themselvesto one community in Basse.“
Other speakers include the Imam of Basse Manneh KundaImam Gibril Manneh. Imam Manneh thanked the Manchester Kabilo for extending their good gestures to the cemeteries, which he said is a sign of care for all. He advised members tokeep up the good work and prayed for more great projects to follow suit.
The eldest and one of the founding fathers of the Kabilo Alhagie Duta Jawneh did the erection of the first light pole.