(Banjul) Young people, it’s worth making
a living in The Gambia – that’s the message heading to all five regions of the
country through a roadshow kicking off under a new Tekki Fii campaign.
The roadshow will run from 31 March to 5
April, stopping at different locations to host intergenerational talks, skills
orientation sessions on entrepreneurship, solar installation, construction,
creative industries, agribusiness and more.
The roadshow will conclude with an
official launch event of the Tekki Fii campaign and the Gambia Trade Fair
International on 7 April, with a keynote address by President Adama Barrow.
|
31
March
|
Farafenni
- NBR
|
|
1
April
|
Basse
- URR
|
|
2
April
|
Brikama
Ba - CRR South
|
|
3
April
|
Kaur
- CRR North
|
|
4
April
|
Jarra
Soma - LRR
|
|
5
April
|
Brikama
- West Coast
|
|
7
April
|
Independence
Stadium, Bakau
|
The goal of the roadshow is to enable
young people to see the benefits of choosing to ‘Make It Here’ – or Tekki Fii
in Wolof – by tapping economic opportunities in the country rather than going
abroad through irregular migration.
The government of The Gambia through its
National Development Plan (2018-2021) prioritizes youth employment and
empowerment and is designed to ‘leave no youth behind’. Through the broader
campaign, the government is working with the business community, youth groups
and development partners to show young people – especially those most
vulnerable to migration – that they can not only survive but thrive in The
Gambia, in a variety of sectors, ranging from construction, the arts and
agriculture to tech and tourism.
The plan is to accomplish this by
orienting youth about job-ready skills and entrepreneurship opportunities so
that they can earn higher, stable incomes and create jobs for others in their
communities.
Baboucarr Sallah, the Operations Officer
of the Youth Empowerment Project of the International Trade Centre, which
supports coordination of the campaign, said: ‘The Tekki Fii roadshow is a great
opportunity to engage young Gambians across the country and inform them about
opportunities and how to make the most of them.’
The European Union Ambassador to The
Gambia, Attila Lajos, said: ‘Tekki Fii must be more than a motto, it must be a
reality. In The Gambia, the European Union massively invests in technical and
vocational training, business development services as well as entrepreneurship
support. This is to ensure that the youth will get the skills and tools they
need to make their professional projects in The Gambia come true.’
About the Tekki Fii campaign – The campaign aims to
inform young Gambians about ongoing support programmes of the government and
its partners and to change perceptions regarding irregular migration while
showcasing and encouraging them to make it at home. The campaign is sponsored
by the ‘Make it in The Gambia – Tekki Fii’ project, an initiative of the Government
of The Gambia to significantly scale quality job opportunities available to
young Gambians, focusing on the most vulnerable ones. The project is funded by
the European Union Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) and implemented by the
International Trade Centre (ITC), German Agency for International Cooperation
(GIZ), Instituto Marquês de Valle Flôr (IMVF) and the Belgian Development
Agency, Enabel. The project builds on existing EU-funded initiatives such as
ITC’s Youth
Empowerment Project (YEP) and the European
Union-International Organization for Migration (IOM) Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration. The Tekki Fii
campaign is coordinated by the Government of The Gambia through the Office of
the Vice President and is technically supported by the Youth Empowerment
Project (YEP).
About the European Union Emergency Trust
Fund for Africa (EUTF) – The EUTF supports all aspects of stability
and contributes to addressing destabilization, forced displacement and
irregular migration in particular by promoting resilience, economic and equal
opportunities, security and development, and the improvement and implementation
of planned and well-managed migration policies. The EUTF aims at improving
living conditions in Africa. It seeks to help people live in a peaceful and
stable environment, and to work in dignity.
About the International Trade Centre and
YEP
– The International
Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World
Trade Organization and the United
Nations. The International Trade Centre assists small and
medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more
competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic
development the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The Gambia Youth
Empowerment Project (YEP) is funded by the EUTF and
addresses the economic root causes of irregular migration. By improving the
employability of youth, especially potential and returning migrants, increasing
income opportunities along value chains and helping young entrepreneurs to
connect to trade and tap into the digital economy, the project contributes to
creating jobs and building the long-term growth and economic competitiveness of
The Gambia.
For more information,
visit www.intracen.org
Media
contact:
Abdoulie
Badjie
Media
and Communications Officer
Youth
Empowerment Project (YEP)
International
Trade Centre
M:
(+220) 3900088 / 2033333
E:
abadjie@intracen.org
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