By Yunus S Saliu
The international humanitarian organisation, StarUp Foundation, on Thursday, 7 May 2026, donated emergency vehicles and specialised equipment to the Gambia Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) and other security and emergency institutions.
The handover ceremony was held at State House and attended by President Adama Barrow, the Minister of Interior, the Chief Fire Officer, officials of StarUp Foundation, and senior government representatives from security and emergency services.
The donation included eight emergency vehicles for the GFRS, among them two URO 3500L 4×4 fire trucks with less than 20,000 kilometres, one 12,000-litre fire water tanker, two cargo trucks, two Land Rover 4×4 vehicles, and one Nissan 4×4 vehicle.
Officials said the vehicles, all manual transmission, were selected to suit maintenance capacity and road conditions in The Gambia.
The Foundation also donated firefighting and emergency equipment, including wildfire tools, personal protective equipment, high-capacity generators, welding machines, communication radios, firefighting hoses, and kits for emergency response units.
StarUp Foundation President Sonja Arup said the communication equipment forms part of a national emergency radio project aimed at modernising and connecting emergency services across the country.
She said the initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and international partners, has benefited from support from organisations including Cabildo de Gran Canaria, FEMEPA, GESPORT, Konica Minolta, Fundacion La Laboral, Binter, and Bakadaji Hotel, among others.
She also noted the involvement of the Sapeurs-Pompiers du Senegal in strengthening regional cooperation in emergency response.
Officials of the Gambia Fire and Rescue Service expressed appreciation for the donation, noting that it would improve operational capacity amid longstanding resource constraints.
According to the Foundation, the support programme has been ongoing since late 2023 as part of efforts to modernise emergency response services in The Gambia.
Sonja Arup described the donation as a symbol of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the people of the Canary Islands in Spain and The Gambia.