Youths need to be empowered with livelihood skills… says KMYC Chairperson

Youth Campers

The Chairperson of the Kanifing Municipal Youth Committee (KMYC), Mr Lamin Marong has said that young people in the Gambia like other young people in most developing countries needs to be informed, trained, and empowered with Live and Livelihood Skills to be able to vanquish problems affecting them in their day-to-day development endeavors.

 

Marong, who was speaking on Sunday, 13 September, 2015 at the opening ceremony of the first ever edition youth camp at St John School for the Deaf.

The youth camp was organised by the municipality, added that in the Gambia, young people consist of about 63.7% of the population and in the nearest future, this is expected to increase.

The ongoing KMYC youth summer camp 2015, which is being held at the St. Jones School for Deaf campus,  centered on developing the young people by creating more awareness on the Human and Demographic dividend and skills acquisition which will be by extension include issues around cultural and talent promotion.

The week-long forum, which focuses on Demographic Dividend and Livelihood Skill, will also create the platform for youth representatives to discuss issues underpinning the acceleration of youth, interact with Government officials, key stakeholders and other agencies involved in youth empowerment.

“The Kanifing Municipality which housed a large parentage of those young people in the country has a big role to play therefore the KMYC intends to gather young people for the first time from all over the Municipality on a week to address current issues affecting their lives and share their experience and as well engage government authorities and other important partners in youth development on the interest attached on the demographic dividend on the state of the world population report,” he explained.

According to him, the gathering is expected to hail the need to conquer the poverty menace of the world most particularly in Africa.

The KMYC Chairperson further noted that the Youth camp also intends to raise awareness on the importance of Human Demographic dividend and encourage young people to go in for skills development.

He continued, “The government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Youth and Sports recognizes that skills serves as a catalyst in achieving Vision 2020 and by extension contributes to poverty alleviation.

 “However, in order to attain this lofty dream of ours, it requires a consultative and coordinated approach. It is believed that with this forum created, there will be the assurance of the way forward for Gambian young people thus contributing to the socio-economic development of our mother land- The Gambia.”

Also speaking on the benefits of youth camp, he described it as now a major annual event for the youth organization, noting that in the past years, there have been series and strong collaboration and partnership by the youth organizations and stake holders to stage youth camps. 

This, Marong said, has been driven to make positive changes in the roles and responsibilities, make it effectively and efficient responsive to youth needs, aspiration and plan to deliver quality services.