Aja Sutay Manjang affectionately known as ‘Mbasteh’ or ‘Nyaanyaa’, was born in a small hamlet called ‘Keur cham’, Kampamaa Nguekho, Senegal to Badgen Bintou Cham and Almaly Manjang, in or around 1940. She got married to Alhagie Nuha Barrow of Jambanjelly where she lived for the rest of her life. She is survived by five sons and one daughter.
The above is not at all special and may neither be of much interest in this forum except to illuminate the humility of her origin. Instead it was her generosity, compassion and sense of responsibility to community which was exceptional, worth immortalizing thus inspiring the creation of this charitable foundation.
She lived a totally ordinary live except that, she lived it by sharing and caring for the under privilege, socially disadvantaged and did so with utter humility. Consequently, she had influenced the upbringing and wellbeing of many people particularly orphans, widows, social outcast and mentally retarded as manifested in some the testimonies. During many periods in our lives, we have seen ‘strange’ people take food and other gifts from the household.
Like many of her contemporary women folk, she struggled to make ends meet, to provide for family including children not of her own. She inculcated in many of these children discipline and spirit of sharing. She didn’t stop at that but later in her life she challenged many of these children, who by now were successful in their own rights, to give back to society. She asked some us to make monthly contributions that she shares with the under privileged. This was how she used to joke about the giving habits of her offspring: The eldest son; wants to give but gives very little when he does, the next one; don’t know who and when to give, but when prompted gives a lot to whoever is identified for him, next, knows who and when to give but only occasionally do, next; have no giving habits, and the youngest, hardly gives and therefore must be forced to give.
So, when she passed away on the 26th of February, 2020, it was a no brainer for many of these people to immediately start working on setting up this charitable foundation in an effort to continue her humble service to humanity. The result is Aja Sutay Manjang Charitable Foundation, here after called ASM Charitable Foundation.
ASM Charitable Foundation is intended to serve as a platform to attract like-minded ordinary people all over the world to contribute resources towards making the world a better place as elaborated in its Constitution. Contributions are welcomed from all and sundry with assurance that it will be well spent and transparently.
The ASM Charitable foundation, though established in May 2020, distinguishes itself with its well-structured and governance set-up. It is governed by a group of Trustees and is being run in an open and transparent manner with all businesses of the foundation to be sanctioned and managed by Trustees and published on the website.
Tribute to Aja Sutay Manjang
WISDOM SHE WISPHERS
ECHOING IN MANY EARS THROUGH THE YEARS
SOFT GENTLE SOLEMN VOICE
SOMETIMES DISREGARDED OR EVEN DISMISSED
BRINGS NO DISREPUTE AND NEVER MISGUIDES
UNDER HER GUIDANCE AND PRAYERS
WILL DIRECT THE AFFAIRS OF TEENAGERS
FLATTERED WITH MANY MEDALS
FLATTENED FROM MAINLY METALS
SHOWERED WITH SPARKLING PRIZES
TOWELLED FROM SWEET PRAISES
BUT THE TRUE VICTOR
OUR MENTOR
YES HAVE COME A LONG WAY
YET WAY SHORT OF WHAT YOU LONGED FOR
CAN’T PROMISE ‘LL EVER MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS
BE GUARANTEED ‘LL TASK IT TO COMING GENERATION
SOMEWHERE ALONG THIS TRICKY ROAD
AN OFFSHOOT WILL FULLFILL YOUR ROSY DREAMS
AND ENGRAVE ETERNAL SMILE ON YOUR WRINKLED FACE
IN THE COZY ARM OF THE LONELY GRAVE
By: Jerreh Barrow