Kombo Sillah Association UK Aims High

The new executive committee of the UK based Kombo Sillah Association has now added another to task to their association in order to make it one of the most successful Gambian organizations in the Diaspora by 2012.
Speaking to members at a meeting recently, the president of the association, Buba K. Touray, admitted that his leadership has gone through some "extremely difficult challenges and unprecedentedthreats to theirunity and collectivism greater things for the KSA and its membership."
The task of overhauling the activities of the association was contained in a three year programme of action presented to the membership. If implemented to the letter, KSA could be in pole position to becoming one of the most successful Gambian association in the Diaspora.
The executive, which has a little over one year to the end of their first term in office, has recorded some strong gains through fund raising in the past nine months.

Lamin B. Jammeh, Secretary General of the association has asked existing and new members to fill a new membership form tenable from the secretariat or downloadable at ksa-uk.org. He said plans are also underway to completethe membership registration online. Giving the dire financial climate, there is a reduced membership contribution of 5 pounds per quarter or 20 pounds one of yearly payment. Mr. Jammeh noted the executive has committed itself to a process of continued reform with better and stringent controls in place to safeguard the interest of the association at all times. "At these turbulent times," Mr. Jammeh warned that the "executive committee is increasingly required to give diligent consideration to the pressing issues confronting it, providing sound leadership, moral and financial support where possible."
The secretary general told his audience that the "UK Charities Commission has officially cleared Kombo Sillah Association to operate as a charitable organisation due to the Charities Act 2006 which was introduced on 23 April 2007." The scribe revealed that KSA now holds full membership of the African Voices Forum, AVF, and a Bristol based network of Afro-Caribbean communities and associations. The first ever honourary membership of the association Mr. Jammeh said, was granted to Gambia's kora supremo, Jaliba Kuyateh during a concert in Bristol in February.

Treasurer Ebrima Bojang read the financial statement. There was a lengthy question and answer session between members and executive. The meeting at the Black Development Association in Bristol on Saturday brought together members of the association and invitees. Sue Currant of the Kambeng trust, a charity supporting the village of Bakary Sambouya near Brikama, attended on behalf of her charity.
The city of Nottingham is poised to host the next meeting in about three months time.