COVID19 and StarFish, The Gambia

Starfish International, a nonprofit community-based organization that is focused on providing Gambian girls scholarships to achieve the highest level of education, teaching them entrepreneurship skills that will enhance their financial independence.

Despite the challenges brought by COVID-19, Starfish International has been able to advance their plans to expand the Skills and Business Center on time and within budget. As the situation unfortunately worsens and their teachers are struggling more financially, the fulfillment of promised payments, with the support of Mona, has been invaluable. By October 2020 it is projected that the renovations will be complete and the new Skills Center facility will be ready for 100 students.

In the meantime, they have been very busy making soap and masks!

Mama Kujabi, the Founder of the Skills Center] has been making soap for sale at affordable prices for people to use as disinfectants. The cost of disinfectants has also been on the rise since the demand increased. So, having soap made for people to access and afford has contributed to assisting people who might otherwise not be able to get any disinfectants.”

Since the lockdown, Mama Kujabi and the facilitator of the sewing class have taken up the responsibility of making cloth masks made from local fabrics…These masks have been distributed to their supporters, staff, and other organizations in the Gambia such as SolHealth in The Gambia who are doing outreach programs in different communities.