22/03/2026
VDF Subsidises Koriteh Meat with D1.1M Investment; Over 300 Families Benefit from Relief Initiative
The Vision Development Foundation (VDF) has successfully concluded its Koriteh meat subsidy initiative at the Buffer Zone, providing financial relief to hundreds of residents ahead of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
The intervention, led by philanthropist and VDF CEO Turo Darboe, saw the slaughter and sale of 32 bulls at prices below the market price. While butchers were selling beef at D500 and meat & bone at D450, the foundation maintained its promised subsidised rates of D400 and D300, respectively.
The scale of the foundation’s sacrifice is reflected in the final figures. The total cost to purchase the 32 bulls amounted to D1,105,000 (One Million, One Hundred and Five Thousand Dalasis). However, in a deliberate move to ensure affordability for the poor, the foundation collected only D623,700 in revenue.
This resulted in Turo Darboe personally absorbing a deficit of nearly D500,000 to bridge the gap created by market inflation to ensure the meat remained affordable for the poor.
From as early as 08:00 AM, the Buffer Zone was crowded with family heads and vulnerable citizens eager to secure meat for their Eid al-Fitr meals. The demand was so high that as the sun began to set at 21:00, the area remained packed with hopeful buyers.
In a final act of generosity to ensure no one in the queue left empty-handed, Turo Darboe ordered the slaughter of two additional bulls beyond the initial 30 purchased for the day.
“I was worried about how my family would celebrate Koriteh this year because meat has become so expensive,” said one beneficiary from Serrekunda. “Thanks to Turo Darboe, I saved over D600 today. That money will now go toward buying other family needs.”
Speaking on the outcome, Mr Fofana, the PRO of VDF, noted that the initiative was born out of Truro Darboe’s deep concern for the rising cost of living and the economic pressures facing Gambian households.
"The goal was never profit, but service," Mr Fofana stated. "We saw the struggle of the people and decided to bridge the gap. Seeing so many families leave here with smiles on their faces is the greatest reward for the foundation."
The meat subsidy is part of a broader Ramadan and Koriteh support program by the VDF, which has already seen the distribution of millions of Dalasis worth of sugar, rice, and other food items across the country.
By the close of the event, the initiative had successfully met its target, reaching 345 underprivileged families within the municipality. The success of this year’s sale further cements Turo Darboe’s reputation as a pillar of support for the Gambian community during times of need.
The VDF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to poverty alleviation, community development, and humanitarian aid in The Gambia, founded and led by Turo Darboe.
