The Executive Director of the Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN) Gambia (GYIN Gambia) has told the people of Foni Bulock to work together to advance their association.
Mamadou Edrisa Njie, made the remarks during the opening of a two days training for forty (40) women and youth on Entrepreneurship, Report Writing Clinic and Gender Based Violence.
The training was facilitated by GYIN Gambia to support Bulock Kapongha Youth Development Association members to acquire knowledge and skills.
The training, according to organizers, is in series so as to train more youths and women in the community to become self reliant thus the training goes with practical sessions.
Njie stated that for a Community Based Organisation (CBO) to achieve its goals and objectives, members must be ready to work in unison thus promote the agenda of the association.
“Your members need to bond family relationship, embrace each other in social activities and be ready to be ambassadors of the village” he said.
According to him, GYIN Gambia as partner with Bulock Kapongha Youth Development felt that the Foni based association needs capacity building programmes as well as skills development activities to contribute to the development of the local community.
He told his audience that GYIN Gambia as a specialized national youth network in rural developments and focuses on entrepreneurship, leadership, agribusiness and innovation programmes.
“We will continue supporting rural youths in their endeavours especially in the areas of entrepreneurship, leadership, agribusiness and innovative activities that gears towards enhancing rural lives” Ambassador Njie said.
He pointed out that the training is one of the recommendations made during Bulock Kapongha Youth Development Association’s congress which was held on the 16th April, 2017.
“GYIN Gambia is here to support your association with meaningful activities that can transform your lives” he noted.
He urged all the beneficiaries of the training to make best use of the training and share the knowledge gained with others to continue the learning process of transmitting knowledge.
Ms. Halimatou Colley, vice president of Bulock Kapongha Youth Development Association, commended GYIN Gambia for fulfilling the promise made during the association’s congress.
She hailed the efforts of GYIN Gambia leadership saying that for them to partner with GYIN Gambia is “not a mistake” because they benefitted a lot from GYIN Gambia from 2014 to date. She called on their members to see the association as their while putting to them to contribute to the success of the association saying that the success of the association is the success of the village.
“When I look at you (members), I see success and hope for the future of the village,” said Colley.
Ebrima Bah fondly called Pressbah, Projects Manager at GYIN Gambia, was the lead facilitator who took the participants through the Creating Opportunity for Rural Youth (CORY) Training Module on Venture Creation.
At the end of day training, participants identified three (3) income generating activities notably, Poultry, Restaurant and Sheep Breeding which are planned to be implemented in 2018.
Within six months, June-December, 2017, the following activities has been identified- rehabilitation of the village market, tree planting exercise, youth farm and a football tournament.
The official opening ceremony was chaired by Mr. Sarjo Jarju, secretary general of Bulock Kapongha Youth Development Association while the training was moderated by Ms. Jainaba Manjang, Head of Programmes at GYIN Gambia, who advised the participants to take the training seriously and out the knowledge into good use.
Meanwhile, a similar training is planned on the 17th -18th June, 2017 in Foni Bulock also to be facilitated by GYIN Gambia on Leadership and Management training.
