Sika Village, Ambulance donatie

Project Title:

Heartbeat on wheels: Ambulance support for lifesaving rural healthcare

Location

Sika Village, Upper Nuimi District, North Bank Region

Applicant Organization

Sika Development Fund (SDF)

Registration status

SDF, registered in the Gambia and USA; the initiative will be led by SDF on behalf of Sika village and the surrounding Community; approval to build the Community Health Post was acquired from the Ministry of Health on 24 October 2024; Ref: DHS/AD/2024/10(MTN 19). 

Contact person/project leader

Mr. Kemo Sonko, President, Sika Development Fund. Tel - +220 9750858’ Email: Kemosonko@ymail.com 

Or

Mr. Lamin Omar Sonko, Project Manager. Tel - +220 3963903; Email: langsonko84@gmail.com 

Project management team

Sika Community Health Post Management Committee and SDF Community Health Post Task Force

Mr.  Kemo Sonko, Mr. Lamin Omar Sonko, Dr. Bakary J Sonko, Dr. Omar Janneh, Mr. Alieu SK Cham, Mr. Omar NR Sonko, Mr. Malamin Janneh, Mr. Alhagie Njie, Mr. Mrs. Nyakassi Ceesay, Mrs. Sainta Sonko

Project Partners/ stakeholders (if any)

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, The Gambia, West Africa

Required Budget (GMD) should not exceed D200,000 

Provision of ambulance 

Counterpart Contribution (at least 10% of the total cost)

NA 

Bank details (account number and b-band number)

NA

Sector, e.g. health, education, agriculture, etc.

Health

Number of people expected to benefit from this project

Over 25,000 people could benefit from the ambulance service as the Sika Community Health Post will serve at least 5 villages that are within 5 miles from Sika.

Project Description (200 words) e.g. objectives, activities and duration, etc. 

Sika Village, like many rural communities in The Gambia, faces severe challenges in accessing basic healthcare. The nearest government health centre is over 20 kilometres away and is plagued by chronic shortages of essential medicines and qualified personnel. As a result, approximately 25,000 residents in and around Sika are left with minimal access to reliable and timely healthcare.

To address this urgent need, the people of Sika established the Sika Development Fund (SDF) in 2014. Funded through annual membership subscriptions, donations, small grants, and local fundraising, SDF operates bi-monthly health clinics in a borrowed building, staffed by a community-trained nurse. These clinics—offering subsidised medications—are highly valued by residents of Sika and neighbouring villages alike.

With land secured, approval from the Ministry of Health, and a firm commitment from Project C.U.R.E. (Colorado, USA) to provide medical equipment, SDF is constructing a permanent Community Health Post which is expected to be completed in 18 months. However, one critical gap remains: emergency transport. An ambulance is urgently needed to ensure those requiring urgent or emergency care are provided for. It will support referrals, enhance outreach, and provide lifesaving care—ultimately strengthening healthcare access and community resilience across the North Bank Region.

Major goal

To provide timely access to emergency medical care for the rural communities by providing reliable ambulance transport, thereby reducing delays, improving health outcomes, and supporting maternal and child health

Specific objectives

To strengthen the rural healthcare system by facilitating referrals, enhancing emergency/disaster response capacity, and building community resilience and trust through consistent, life-saving ambulance services.

To safely transport pregnant women, newborns, and children to health facilities for deliveries, complications, or emergencies

Expected outputs

Ensuring timely and reliable access to emergency medical care for people living in Sika village and surrounding communities.

Project Sustainability

The Sika Community Health Post is committed to delivering accessible, high-quality healthcare services to the people of Sika and the surrounding communities in a sustainable and financially responsible manner. Our sustainability model is built on a diversified and community-centred approach that ensures long-term viability and impact.

At present, patients contribute directly to the running of the temporary Health Post through modest consultation fees and payments for essential services such as medications, diagnostic tests. And when the Health Post is built, patients will also pay for their immunisations, home visits, and other care. Additionally, the community demonstrates its ownership and commitment through fundraising activities and annual subscription payments made by members of the Sika village and the wider membership of SDF.

Beyond local contributions, the SDF benefits from strategic partnerships and external support. SDF, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisation registered in the USA—plays a vital role in sustaining the work of the Health Post through grants, donations, and fundraising efforts. As a registered charity on Benevity, this allows SDF to connect with global donors, volunteers, and corporate partners, expanding the reach and support base for our healthcare initiatives.

Our operations which shall be sustained have been guided by a robust financial and administrative management system that ensures all funds, both locally generated or externally sourced, are used efficiently and transparently. These funds have been directed toward critical areas including the payment of qualified medical personnel, provision of ancillary services, procurement of supplies, e.g., drugs and medical equipment and ongoing facilities maintenance.

Through this comprehensive and collaborative funding model, we believe that the Sika Community Health Post, once built is positioned to meet some of the present health needs, but to compliment this work, the availability of wheels of hope (an ambulance) for timely and reliable access to emergency medical care is vital.