70 students from The Gambia College received certificates after completing a VET United Animal Welfare course for the first term 2016-2017 academic year on Friday.
According to officials, the course covered introduction to animal welfare, animal welfare assessment, welfare of working, food and companion animals, clinical examinations, hygiene and infections, wound management and common endo and ecto parasite infection among other things.
Fraise Mendy and Alhagie Danso emerged as the outstanding students on the course and were awarded a prize of D1,000 each from the lecturer himself.
In his statement, the Principal of the School, Aboubacarr Jallow, congratulated the outgoing students for adding to better knowledge in animal welfare.
Jallow described animal welfare as very important, noting that animals also have the right to enjoy free movement and proper care from owners.
He challenged the students to make the best use of the knowledge gained.
For his part, Dr Kebba Daffeh, WTG Vets United Project coordinator, consultant, as well as the course lecturer, expressed pleasure at witnessing for the first time in the history of the school the presentation of certificates to students for successful completion of a course on animal welfare.
He explained that the course was supported by WTG Vet United project which is a veternary programme of the WTG, a German registered charitable organization working in the area of animal welfare.
It aims to build capacity in developing countries to create a world in which animals are better treated, loved and understood.
He described the project as timely, noting that The Gambia is now well positioned to address the capacity gaps in the area of animal health.
He said the area most in need of capacity building in The Gambia is animal welfare, adding that brining the programme to the University of The Gambia and The Gambia College is a way to address the capacity needs of The Gambia.
Dr Daffeh congratulated the students for the successful completion of the animal welfare course and challenged them to be productive and make the good use of the knowledge.
For his part, Demba Jallow, from The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust, also joined the previous speakers in congratulating the students for their hard work.
He gave details about what his organization does, noting that The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust was founded in 2002 and is based in Makasutu, with the aim of helping farmers and fighting poverty.
He thanked the course lecturer, Dr. Kebba Daffeh, for his kindness and challenged the young people to utilize the knowledge gained and share it with others.
