GLEN Awards GYIN Gambia Executive Director Certificate of ‘Excellence’

Mamadou Edrisa Njie, Executive Director, GYIN Gambia

The Global Education Network of Young Europeans (GLEN) representatives to the Gambia have awarded a Certificate of ‘Excellence’ to the Executive Director of the Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN) Gambia Chapter, Mamadou Edrisa Njie for being the most outstanding, supportive, caring, inspiring and warn-hearted leader of the world.


The honoring of the prestigious award to the GYIN Gambia Boss came after GLEN annually assigns its students to GYIN Gambia as Interns for three months from 1st July to 31st October, 2019.


As this year’s internship period is reaching its tail-end, the three interns by the name Beata Rajeckaite, Deborah Rammrath and Rebeka Anna Szel in consultation with GLEN international awarded this Certificate of ‘Excellence’ in honor of his work in promoting global growth.

GYINers Set To Commemorate World Entrepreneurs’ Day

Preparations are ongoing at the Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN) Gambia Chapter to commemorate the World Entrepreneurs’ Day (WED) on the 21^st August, 2019 in grand style.

The World Entrepreneurs’ Day is a day set aside to create awareness for entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership throughout the Gambia.

Matching Grant Beneficiaries Praise Nema Project

Mr Musa Bah 

President of Bolongdala Rice Processing

The beneficiaries of the Matching Grant Facility, which is being provided by the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project (Nema) have expressed heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the Benefactor for supporting their various youth groups with processing and pressing machines.

Last month on 21^st June, 2019, fourteen youth groups across the length and breadth of the country received over sixteen rice, cereal processing and oil pressing machines through the Nema project Matching Grant Scheme at a presentation held at its office grounds in Abuko.

The Matching grant is designed to innovate, develop and build medium term financial services adapted to women and youth groups and individual-based Small and Medium Enterprises.

In an exclusive with, one of the beneficiaries of the machines, Ahagie Muya Baldeh, the president of Mbaalondiren Youth Development Association from Basse in Upper River Region commended the Nema project for the gesture, noting that the machines came at the right time as there is only one processing machine in their community which is owned by a Senegalese national.

Gambia, Saudi Sign $92.5Million OIC Funding Agreement

Signing Ceremony at State House 

State House, Banjul: June 20, 2019 – His Excellency, President Adama Barrow today presides over the signing of a $92.5million funding agreement between the Saudi Fund for development and the Republic of the Gambia at the State House. Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Saudi Fund for Development, Dr. Khalid S. Alkhudairy and the Gambia’s Finance Minister, Mamboury Njie penned the agreement on behalf of their respective countries.

The funding is meant for several priority infrastructure and energy projects that will facilitate the Gambia’s hosting of the OIC Summit in 2022. Among these projects are the construction of a 50kilometre road network within the OIC concentrated area, enhancement of the transmission and distribution network for the electricity grid, enhancement of water production, treatment and distribution and the Construction of a new VVIP Lounge at the Banjul International Airport.

Subject of Mockery turns to Source of Inspiration

GYINer Amie Colley

As young entrepreneur breaking records in her community

By Mariam Saine

Meet Amie Colley, a young entrepreneur from Somita Village, West Coast Region (WCR) has told Mansa Banko that market vendors especially women in her community used to make mockery of her for being an educated young woman and at the same competing with them at the market as a vegetable vendor. 

Mrs. Colley is an active member of the Global Youth Innovation Network Gambia Chapter (GYIN Gambia Chapter)- www.gyingambia.gm 

Today, according to her, with the help of her food processing trainings, she is serving as a role model and source of inspiration to them as most of them are now learning from her skills.

She is the proprietress of Amie’s Food Processing and Commercialization. Her brand includes pepper sause, Kaba Jam, Papaya Jam, Mango Jam, Tomato Paste, Gari, Garlic Syrup, Bitter cola and Ginger syrup, etc.

On Nema Project’s Largesse to 14 Youth Groups

Musa Bah from Wassu, Central River Region North (GYINer)

By Mariam Saine

As part of its intervention to support youth and women in agricultural production and productivity, the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project, dubbed Nema, on Friday, 21 June, 2019 handed over sixteen (16) rice and cereal processing machines and accessories to fourteen (14) youth groups across the country.The presentation of the items was held at a colorful ceremony at the Nema office in Abuko.

The provision of the said equipment, made possible through the Nema Matching Grant facility, is geared towards ensuring that the intended services are provided to the smallholder farmers.

Agricultural Minister Launches National Seed Plan

Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Amie Fabureh

By Mamadou Edrisa Njie

The Minister of Agriculture (MoA), Hon. Amie Faburay on Thursday, 20^th June, 2019 has presided over the launching of the National Seed Plan at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in Kololi.

The launching was organized by the National Seed Secretariat (NSS) under the Ministry of Agriculture with support from the Food and Agricultural Organisation (F.A.O) Banjul office- www.fao.org/world/gambia through the European Union (EU) funded project dubbed “Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security/Nutrition to mitigate Migration flows.

The National Seed Plan was developed to promote production, availability and utilization of quality seed that would improve agricultural productivity and contribute to economic growth of The Gambia.

“Quality seeds constitute a prime prerequisite in agriculture and the basis of agricultural productivity, which is part of a critical importance to the government of The Gambia, since the national economy and food and nutrition security depends on a successful local agriculture,” says the Agricultural Minister.

The Ministry of Agriculture, she added, has long pursued the establishment of seed industry structures, policy and programs that would support the Gambia’s agriculture.

GYIN Gambia ELIT 2019 Summer Camp to Hold on July 21 in Basse

ELIT summer camp on a field visit at Ever Green  

Churchill’s Town, June 20, 2019 -- The 4^th edition of the National Youth Summer Camp on Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Information Technology (ELIT) will be held in Basse, Upper River Region (URR) from 21 – 31 July, 2019.

This year’s 10-day youth camp will allow young people to acquire relevant knowledge and skills to start and successfully manage an enterprise or business ventures, the organizer, GYIN Gambia said in a statement on Thursday.

It is to be held under the theme ‘Transforming youth into agents of change in agribusiness ventures’. Sixty (60) participants selected from across the six Agricultural Directorates in The Gambia are to take part in the camp.

New policies and investments urgently needed in support of rural youth in poorest countries, says a new UN report

Rome, 18 June 2019 –  Effective policies and investments are urgently needed if the world's poorest countries are to offer a future to hundreds of millions of marginalized young people living in rural areas, according to a new report released today by the United Nations' International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The 2019 Rural Development Report - Creating opportunities for rural youth shows that about 500 million young people, about half of the youth population of developing countries, live in rural areas.  This number rises to 780 million  when  semi-rural and peri-urban areas are included. These young people are prone to poverty and inequality and are held back by a series of constraints, including lack of training and skills, limited access to land and credit,  scarce availability of inputs and restricted links to social networks. 

Six cooperatives supported by Nema-Chosso generate D11M

Nema-Chosso Project Director, Mr. Gassama

By Mamadou Edrisa Njie

In an exclusive interview on Tuesday, 18^th June, 2019, with the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project (Nema), Mr. Momodou L. Gassama, the Project Director, gave the latest updates on some of the project’s success with special focus on support to cooperatives and linkages between producers, economic operators and other actors of the value chain. These initiatives have been ongoing since the start of project implementation in 2012.

“Over the last 2 years, the cooperatives have generated cumulative savings of more than eleven million dalasis (D11,000,000,000) from the purchase and sale of fertilizer alone,” he disclosed.

According to him, the six cooperatives were created in the cluster areas of: Boiram and Kudang in Central River Region South (CRR South), Bajarally Suba in Central River Region North (CRR North), Jurunku and Salikene in North Bank Region (NBR) and Pakalinding in Lower River Region (LRR).

Media Council of The Gambia Call for application

Media Council of The Gambia

Call for application

Position: Executive Secretary

Salary: Attractive/Negotiable

Reporting to: Chairperson of the Governing Council

Deadline: 4:00pm on Monday June 10^th, 2019

The Media Council of the Gambia invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.   

What we are looking for:  

·         A degree or extensive experience, preferably in media, journalism, law or management

·         Must be computer literate. Skills in Word, Excel and PowerPoint are a must   

·         Must have fair knowledge and skills in project management 

·         Excellent communication skills, including a command of English and at least two major local languages

·         Knowledge of the role, importance and functions of the media as well as media law and ethics 

·         Knowledge of issues of freedom of expression, freedom of information and media freedoms

·         Knowledge of conflict management/resolution or alternative dispute resolution systems  

·         Ability to fundraise and advocate

·         Strong leadership and negotiation skills

·         Skills in financial management is highly appreciated

         

GYIN Gambia Rural Youth Award Winners off to Senegal

Ms. Yama NDIAYE, Director General of WA YAbi Distribution

A number of five young Gambian entrepreneurs’ selected from Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN) Gambia Chapter Rural Youth Champions will benefit from a weeklong Regional Exchange visit to Dakar, Senegal from 26^th – 31^st May, 2019. The Regional Exchange visit is funded by the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP). 

Speaking to reporters shortly before departure, Mamadou Edrisa Njie, Executive Director of GYIN Gambia said while in Dakar, the participating entrepreneurs will visit businesses of Senegalese entrepreneurs’ in their sectors and enhance their professional networks.

Young Female ELIT Alumni Establishes Poultry Farm

Sainabou Ngack 

An active member of the Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN) Gambia Chapter, Ms. Sainabou Ngack has made a household name for herself by being the first female to establish the first-ever Poultry Farm in her native village of Pakau Njogu, North Bank Region.

Being among the “five best selected participants” in GYIN Gambia’s Entrepreneurship Leadership Information & Technology (ELIT) 2018 National Youth Summer Camp with cash prize of D10, 000.00, she ventured into poultry to help her community to have access to poultry meat and at the same time capitalize on the unique opportunity of being the sole poultry producer in the village.

ELIT Alumni turns Champion Cashew Farmer

Modou Lamin Sanyang, C.E.O ML Business Venture

Introducing Modou Lamin Sanyang, a Cashew Farmer cum Poultry Producer. He is the proprietor of ML Business Venture in Foni Bulock Village, West Coast Region.

As an uprising young entrepreneur in his native Village, Sanyang was motivated to venture into cashew farming after attending the first edition of GYIN Gambia’s Entrepreneurship Leadership Information and Technology (ELIT) National  Youth Summer Camp in 2016, during which he expanded his father’s cashew farm as a fulltime business.

Young Agripreneur Calls for Support to Expand Production

By Ida L.B Ceesay

Meet Alagie Karamo Jammeh of Busumbala Village, West Coast Region and the owner of a vegetable garden called Steel Innovation Farmyard.

The 24year old produces’ onions, carrots, cucumbers, lettuces, peppers etc for sale.

Jammeh, whose main objective is providing healthy organic fruits and vegetables to the populace, started his business over six years ago.

Presently, he has some readily harvested onions for the market which he sells locally at a reasonable price.

GYINers preparing to showcase local Gambian products at the GCCI International Trade Fair

 Story by Madi S. Njie

Sarjo B. Jatta of Brikama New Town, West Coast Region, the proprietress of J’S Enterprise, and the 1st Runner Up for ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 - Rural Youth Awards, is part of GYINers planning promote local products in upcoming GCCI Trade Fair.

Ms Jatta is among number of other young Gambian entrepreneurs - GYINers busy preparing to promote by showcasing their local Gambian made products during the upcoming GCCI International Trade Fair, from 6 to 28 April 2019, at the Independent Stadium in Bakau.

Ms Jatta currently wants to extend her wings to Groundnut processing into peanut butter.

She is also into Sheep Fattening in her native town of Brikama, WCR.

With the help of her mentor during the just concluded GYIN Gambia’s Youth Mentorship Programme fully funded by #YEP Project, she is expanding her business in a bid to increase her daily sales thus becoming a successful business woman.

Immediately after her graduation, she is working on acquiring the necessary requirements and items for her new venture such as packaging containers and labeling to meet international standards.

Ms Jatta is presently preparing to participate in the upcoming International Trade Fair, organized by The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

SUKUTA YOUTH IN BUSINESS;

MEET JANKO'S CREATION AT GCCI TRADE FAIR GAMBIA INTERNATIONAL

By Ahmad M. Ceesay

Babucarr Janko, the founder and manager of JANKO'S CREATION, is a young Sukutarian entrepreneur excelling in batiks and tie and dye. Babucarr is among the three Sukutarian graduands of the GYIN Gambia Youth Mentorship Program on Enterprise Management, a beneficiary of the YEP Mini Grant, and 2nd runner up at Youth Connekt Pitching Contest.

Janko's Creation will be at the GCCI Trade Fair Gambia International at Youth Pavilion, Independent Stadium Bakau from 6th to 28th April, 2019.

Be at the GCCI Trade Fair to get unique designs for you and your family. Curtains for house decoration, bedsheets, t-shirts for both male and female etc.
Let's encourage the youths by patronizing them

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How improved nutrition can save the world - with Italian celebrity chef Cristina Bowerman and RAI TV presenter Luca Rosini

What:       Why women are key to better nutrition and global poverty eradication – an event organised by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) at the Perugia International Journalism Festival.

When:      15:00-16:00, Saturday, 6 April 2019

Where:     Centro  Servizi G. Alessi, Perugia

Who:         Cristina Bowerman, award-winning Italian celebrity chef, Luca Rosini, journalist and presenter of Uno Mattina in Famiglia on RAI Uno, Linda Dorigo, photographer, journalist and film producer, and IFAD's nutrition and development expert, Antonella Cordone.

Story:          Improved nutrition targeted at young women can reduce poverty. But it's not enough to look at improving what they eat. We must also focus on guaranteeing respect for their rights and those of future generations.

  

GPU makes a breakthrough with State House on Press Accreditation

A delegation of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), led by the President Sheriff Bojang Jr, Monday morning held a meeting with the Director of Press and Public Relations at the State House on the new press accreditation policy.

The meeting was convened following the Union's disagreement with the new policy which requires journalists to undergo security screening by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) for accreditation to cover the presidency.  The measure was to come into effect on Monday, 1st April.

However, at the meeting this morning, DPPR Amie Bojang-Sissosho said following a discussion with the GPU President and Secretary General and consultation with her State House colleagues, her office came to the conclusion that the screening of journalists by NIA would not go ahead.

She however said the NIA screening requirement has been misconstrued as a restriction and an intimidation of the press. 

“The policy was developed with goodwill and its only objective was to get to know the people covering the presidency because it is a sensitive office,” she said.

Countrywide Tekki Fii roadshow kicks off to empower Gambian youth

(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.