Africa-Press – Gambia. Star Up Gambia Corazón Solidario, an international NGO, on Monday, 5th May 2025 officially unveiled a groundbreaking initiative project called Salva Costuras – a project for the artisanal production of life jackets and rescue tubes for lifeguards. This launching was held alongside a training program in water rescue and first aid at the Gambia Fire and Rescue Services (GFRS) Headquarters, Banjul.
Salva Costuras, is another major step forward project in public safety and women’s empowerment in The Gambia.
The dual-purpose project is part of the cooperation program for development in health, and emergency services with training that would tackle two issues in The Gambia – the high drowning rates, especially among youth, and the need for economic empowerment among Gambian women. According to the World Health Organization, more than 40,000 people die from drowning annually in sub-Saharan Africa. “The Gambia, in particular, ranks among the countries with the highest per capita drowning rates in West Africa.”
The Salva Costuras training workshop provides an opportunity for women with tools and training to produce essential lifesaving equipment, life jackets, and rescue tubes, handmade to meet the urgent needs of local communities. “This effort not only builds economic resilience among women but would also promote self-sufficiency in a region where such lifesaving gear is scarce,” Sonja Arup, President of Star Up Corazón Solidario in Canary Islands stated.
In a breakdown, she explained that the Salva Costuras project will deliver intensive training to 64 professionals including the Gambia Fire and Rescue Services (firefighters), Police Officers, and Marines with a focus on water rescue and first aid techniques.
Through a ‘training of trainers’ scheme, these professionals will pass on their knowledge to colleagues across the country, creating a sustainable and expanding network of emergency response experts, while disclosing that, so far, over 100 professionals have already trained.
The program is supported by a range of international and local partners, including the government of The Gambia, the government of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo of Gran Canaria’s Department of International Solidarity, and the Emergency Consortia of Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
Among the notable contributors is firefighter Ismael Mejía Pitti, who is overseeing the training modules and the design of the lifesaving prototypes, including demonstration materials.
She disclosed, “The project also enjoys support from the Gambia Tourism Board and the Ministry of Interior, underlining its national importance,”
“Salva Costuras is more than a project—it’s a movement toward safety, self-reliance, and solidarity,” Sonja Arup noted and added that “By equipping local people with tools and knowledge to respond to emergencies, we are investing in lives, futures, and a stronger Gambia.”
However, the official launch of this project was attended by high-profile people from the Ministry of Interior, Canaria Islands Minister of Health, Esther María Monzón, the Chargée d’Affaires of the Spanish Embassy in Banjul, Violeta Insa Enai, officials of GRFS, GPF, and members of the Star Up Gambia Corazón Solidario.
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