Beakanyang organization, a registered, independent, non-political but development and advocacy organization in the Wuli West District of Upper River Region, cognisant of the importance of forming alliances, recently had a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Council for Civic Education.
The organisation was formed in 2001 to improve the livelihood of the people of The Gambia through advocacy and sponsoring small projects. It promotes education, human rights and democracy.
Meanwhile, the National Council for Civic (and Human Rights) Education (NCCE) is an independent, non-partisan governmental institution created by the Constitution of the Second Republic of The Gambia (1997), chapter XVII, article 198 (1).
The decision to institutionalise a Civic Education Council and Programme in The Gambia was to address weakness of the key elements of the governance structures in order to enable the proposed reform initiative make an impact.
Civic Education is considered to have the potentials of promoting the acquisition of knowledge about the role of the individual in providing the welfare of his/her society and the mechanisms, instruments and processes available in their societies.
Speaking to this reporter, Nfamara Jawneh, Secretary General of Beakanyang, said the parties enter into this MoU to mutually complement each other's efforts in the area of civic education. "We agreed to carry out voter education and promote human rights among others in the Upper River Region," he cited a part of the MoU.
Accordingly, Beakanyang organization and the NCCE, operating under this MoU, agreed to carry out sensitization activities in selected communities in the Upper River Region.
The term of this MoU is for a period of three years starting from April 2011 and may be extended upon written mutual agreement. It shall be reviewed at the end of the year, to ensure that it is fulfilling its purpose and to make any necessary revisions.
Meanwhile, Mr Jawneh, Secretary General of Beakanyang Organization, signed for his organization while Mr Sainey Saho signed on behalf of the NCCE.
It would be recalled that Beakanyang earlier this year also signed an MoU with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to promote education in the country.
"We are very much aware that no single entity can succeed without partnering with others and as a result we are happy to work with these and many other very important institutions," Mr Jawneh said.
