KAIRA
SUU Federation, an affiliate to ChildFund The Gambia, Monday held a daylong
sensitisation campaign for parents and caregivers on child protection within
their communities.
The
forum, which targeted fifty-five local participants, was organised and funded
by Kaira Suu Federation with the sole aim of enhancing and enriching the
relationship between caregivers and their children.
In
his welcoming remarks, the representative of Siffoe Alkalo, Nuha Demba,
commended Kaira Suu Federation for organising awareness creation campaigns for
parents and caregivers.
He
said the initiative was geared towards bringing more development to the health
sector as there is a need for parents and child to have close relationship.
He
advised the parents to take the training seriously because at the end of the
forum the knowledge gained would have positive impacts on them.
For
his part, the chairman of the Village Development Committee (VDC) of Siffoe
village, Ebrima Jallow, emphasised the importance attached to the
sensitization, considering the welfare of children who are the leaders of
tomorrow.
He
challenged parents and caregivers to take ownership of the sensitisation
training for the development of their children.
He
thanked Kaira Suu Federation for the role they are playing in the welfare of
children.
He
also spoke extensively of some of the interventions ChildFund had made in the
society, which was all geared towards complementing government’s efforts.
Regional
coordinator at the Department of Social Welfare, Haruna Badjie, made
presentation on the issue of protection as a fundamental aspect of children’s
rights.
His
discussion also touched on the needs of children and how the fulfillment of
these needs relate to basic and indivisible rights of all children.
Kaira
Suu Federation acting manager, Lamin Ceesay, speaking on the occasion, said
there was a need to prepare the children who are the cream of the society.
He
said the forum would give parents and caregivers the opportunity to interact
with officials, share their ideas and experiences on the best practices for the
development of children.
He
said protecting children is a collective responsibility but women play a
greater role in ensuring the welfare of the children.
Mr
Ceesay thanked the participants for responding positively to the sensitization
forum as he challenged them to share the information gained with others who
were not part of the training.
Also
speaking was Adama Sanneh, programme development officer at the Kaira SUU
Federation. He said advocating for children’s rights is not something new but
because of misconception of the issue, people tend to disregard it.
