The Gunjur Community Link, in partnership with Marlborough Brandt group and the Trust Agency for Rural Development, Thursday launched a three-year strategic plan document at a programme held at Tarud pre-school in Gunjur.
Speaking at the event, the programme manager, Buba Touray, said the plan document is an outline strategy for the community of Gunjur for all the activities intended for the coming three years for unemployed youths, as they should be empowered to make good and productive choices in future life.
He said they have a vision of making the youth productive, skillful and responsible in a drug-free society, as well as encouraging them to be part of the drive of bringing about economic growth to the country and reducing unemployment among young people through skills training, business entrepreneurship and counseling.
It was in this vein that the partnership is currently sponsoring eight young people at the GTTI to study various skills, Mr Touray said, adding that all these are aimed at youth empowerment with the purpose of complementing the government’s efforts at achieving the MDGs and Vision 2020.
The director of Marlborough Brandt group, Nick Maurice, stressed the historic relationship with the community of Gunjur and Marlbourgh in England, which dated back to 1982.
He said they are concerned about rising rate of drug taking/ abuse and mental imbalance among the youth. This, he said, is a global issue that needs to be tackled.
The strategic plan would set out a way to reduce most of the problems associated with the youth, he added.
He said if young men are given employment opportunity and set goals, most of the violence the world is encountering would be curtailed.
Kebba K. Barrow, in his remarks on the occasion, said that about 50-60 per cent of the country’s population is within the poverty bracket. This situation, he added, is caused by many factors such as illiteracy and unemployment, especially for the vulnerable groups of women, youth and the disabled.
Creating opportunities for the unemployed youth of Gunjur through vocational training and business management would help a great deal in providing employment for youth and enhancing their personal, family and community development, he said.
