Africa-Press – Gambia. Over 200 people last week gathered at the Bakau Fire Rescue Service Station to witness the graduation ceremony of the Training of Trainers (ToT) program and the official handing over of equipment donation ceremony organised by the NGO STARUP Corazón Solidario–Gambia to the Gambia Fire and Rescue Service held in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and the Fire Rescue Service of the Republic of The Gambia.
The graduation and the handing over ceremony marked the conclusion of an intensive national program that trained 120 professionals from The Gambia’s Fire Rescue Service, Police, Navy, Army, State Intelligence Services (SIS), National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), and Health Services in essential life-saving disciplines.
The training covered Aquatic Rescue and First Aid, Fire Prevention and Investigation, and Burn Management.
Each graduate became a certified Trainer of Trainers, prepared to replicate the knowledge across the country and enhance the resilience of emergency systems.
STARUP Corazón Solidario–Gambia, led by its President Sonja Arup a newly honoured officer with the title Deputy Chief Fire Officer of The Gambia Fire Rescue Service, shortly after the graduation held a symbolic handing over ceremony of some equipment which included 2 power generators for emergency operations, a pick-up vehicle for the medical response unit, 54 Bicycles for firefighters for short-distance deployment, Specialised police equipment, 50 life jackets, and 25 rescue arms, locally produced by Gambian tailor-firefighters.
This initiative laid the groundwork for a local industry in emergency equipment manufacturing, combining international design with local skills.
“This was not just a donation. It was a promise.” In her closing remarks, Sonja Arup, President of STARUP said “To every graduate: you are the face of change. What you’ve learned will save lives, and what you pass on will strengthen this country for generations. I thank President Adama Barrow for trusting in us, for empowering this mission, and for opening the doors of this extraordinary nation I have fallen in love with. I feel like one more Gambian. STARUP doesn’t exist just to deliver equipment, we exist to build people. That’s why we focus on Training the Trainers: because sustainable knowledge changes everything.”
Sonja Arup also paid tribute to her firefighting colleagues from Gran Canaria and Tenerife – Ismael, Uge, Carlos, Ruymán, and Emilio Duch and expressed deep gratitude to the 35+ institutions in the Canary Islands, the Canary Islands Government, and the Gran Canaria Island Council that supported the mission.
New National Coordinators Announced.
During the ceremony, STARUP officially nominated Mr. Jaja Mbaye as Coordinator of Sea Rescue, and Mr. Abdu Karim John as Coordinator of Well Rescue, recognising their leadership in these critical areas.
To date, STARUP has delivered over €3 million in emergency support to The Gambia, but “What matters most is the trust built and the capacity created,” Sonja Arup stated. This historic initiative reinforced STARUP’s mission to empower The Gambia’s emergency forces to act with autonomy, efficiency, and national pride.
This ceremony proved that the future of emergency response in The Gambia is local, professional, and strong.
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