ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS WORKSHOP FOR GAMBIAN YOUTH

Participants

The U.S. Embassy Banjul, in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce, hosted a three-day entrepreneurship workshop in Fajara from 31 March to 2 April 2014 for 30 Gambian men and women under the age of 35. During the workshop, participants from the Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA), Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Gambia Import and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA), and the American Chamber of Commerce received hands-on training on developing product ideas and business plans.

The workshop was conducted by Mr. Juan Casimiro, a Dominican-American businessman, who has conducted entrepreneurship and leadership workshops all over the world. Mr. Casimiro motivated the youth to become community leaders, small business owners, and to create jobs in The Gambia. He also shared his own motivational stories and best practices, which helped participants develop their own ideas for products, services, and business plans. The workshop bolstered the skills of the participants to become entrepreneurs and he gave them the added confidence needed to start their own businesses.

Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever in Guinea April 2, 2014

 U.S. Embassy Banjul wishes to share the following information regarding the outbreak of the Ebola virus in Guinea. Guinea does not share a border with The Gambia.

As of April 1, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that there were 127 suspected individuals with the Ebola virus and 83 fatalities in Guinea. While the majority of these cases were in the southeast of Guinea, far from the capital, there were twelve confirmed individuals with four fatalities in Conakry.

WHO confirmed seven suspected individuals with Ebola with two fatalities in Liberia. U.S. Embassy Freetown, Sierra Leone reports that there are no confirmed victims of Ebola in Sierra Leone, but there are individuals under investigation. There have been no confirmed individuals in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, or The Gambia to date.

U.S. Embassy Banjul notes that: • The Guinean government has limited the sale of bats and traditional bat dishes to minimize the risk of additional cases.