The president of The Young Journalists Association of The Gambia (YJAG), Mr. Nfamara Jawneh, accompanied by his secretary general, Demba Kandeh, yesterday paid a courtesy call on the Eye Newsletter a subsidiary of the Kanteh Studio and Printing Palace.
Speaking at the meeting YJAG secretary general, Demba Kandeh, said the visit was meant to seek a partnership with the Eye. "As real and genuine young people in the media we will never hesitate to partner with institutions that are truly managed, owned and controlled by young people," he said.
Addressing the meeting, Mr. Nfamara Jawneh, president, said his association recognized and appreciated the good work the Eye Newsletter and Kanteh Studious is doing for the advancement of the young people of the country."I am very much pleased with what you people are doing. It is one way of contributing towards national development," he noted.
The YJAG leader also encouraged the young people at the Eye Newsletter and Kanteh Studio to keep up the good work noting that the understanding he has seen in them inspired him a lot."You are seeing this work as a small thing but take note it will be great in future it is just a matter of time," said Jawneh.
For his part, Lamin Kanteh, proprietor of the Kanteh Studio, thanked YJAG for choosing them as a partner. He thanked the YJAG leader for the visit. "Your visit is not a surprise to me because since I discussed the issue with you last month in Farafenni you did promise me of a visit and today you are here with us. We really need partnership especially with credible associations like yours because it will be good for our work," he said. "This is another marketing strategy for us," he noted.He also gave a brief history of the Eye Newsletter. According to him, it all started two years ago when he used to do graphic design in his house and provide free printing and designing for many people and institutions. He later on decided to open an apartment for the benefit of the general public and to help other young people.
The meeting held at Kanteh Studio located at Welengae near the Willingara Cinema was attended by volunteers of the institute. Kanteh said he got his training at the Ultrasoft. He revealed that it was just October last year when he decided to provide the Eye Newsletter just to bring news to the doorstep of every Gambian at no cost. He said that the paper is free of charge and is having at last eight young Gambians volunteers who also undergoing training."Initially we were thinking of coming out once every month but the demand is so high that we are now coming out weekly and we are about to print out 12th edition and we print 250 copies in every edition, " he said.
"The objective of the Eye is to bring news to the doorstep of every Gambian, develop and encourage young people in media work and finally to advertise the Kanteh studio. He said that at the studio they do all kind of printing ranging from documents, T-shirts, laminating, and certificate printing among others as well as recording. He thanked his brother Siaka and Abdoulie, another volunteer, and the rest of his team for their hard work and understanding.
The two leaders also discussed the issue of signing a memorandum of understanding in the shortest possible time to draw a road map for the partnership. They also discussed the issue of training for Eye reporters all of whom are student journalists.
Kanteh used the opportunity to donate a few copies of the latest edition of the Eye Newsletter, which they were printing at the time of the meeting.