By: Mama A. Touray
Graduates of the Gambia Songhai Initiative shared their testimonies with The Fatu Network on the impact of their 12-month in-campus training on their lives.
This year-long training, under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, aims to equip young people, women, returnees, and marginalized groups with skills in an integrated farming system.
The program covers areas such as agroforestry, poultry production and management, animal husbandry, horticulture and vegetable gardening, business planning, and other entrepreneurial skills.
Fahinta Mbaye, a resident of Niamina East in the Central River Region, highlighted the impact the training had on her.
“I am beyond excited. There were challenges I encountered when I came here, but with patience, I was able to overcome them. I have also learned a lot that I never knew before, such as gardening and poultry farming, among other things. Anyone who graduates from here will not regret it because you will be able to create a job for yourself,” she said.
Louisa Mendy also shared how the year-long training impacted her.
“I can stand firmly and say that I can do anything I have learned here by myself. GSI has trained me in many things beyond gardening and compost making. It has also taught me laundry, cooking, and discipline,” she stated.
While many graduates emphasized how the training improved their agricultural skills, Mario A. Mendy shared a different perspective on its impact.
“I served in the military for fourteen years, and now I have completed this year-long integrated training. When I return to the campus, I will share the wealth of experience I have gained. Being in Chamen for one year has changed me significantly, especially my temper and behavior. The way I used to act in town and towards my comrades has changed significantly due to the high level of discipline at GSI,” he explained.
The coordinator of the Gambia Songhai Initiative, Mbaye Saine, encouraged young people to apply and take advantage of the GSI program.
He added that GSI, under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, will continue to empower young people to ensure they acquire the skills needed to make a difference in their lives.
“I know we are facing challenges as a country in terms of employment, livelihood, and food security, but these young men and women who have graduated are well-trained to start earning a living for themselves and their families,” he said.
Mbaye assured that GSI will continue monitoring the progress of the graduates and supporting them whenever the opportunity arises.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Bakary Y. Badjie, outlined the objectives of the training program and its source of funding.
“This is a very practical agricultural training center run by the Ministry of Youth and Sports that trains young people annually. We have graduated the eleventh batch, and the twelfth batch of seventy-four students, mostly from rural areas interested in agricultural activities, are set to begin their year-long training,” he said.
Explaining the source of funding, he added, “The government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, fully funds the activities of these young people, including their residency, free accommodation, feeding, and some medical expenses for a full twelve months.”
As they return home, the graduates were provided with wheelbarrows, watering cans, and other agricultural materials to encourage them to apply the knowledge they have gained.
