The Children for Children Organisation (CFCO), held a two-day training for its new intake of Children Advocacy Network (CAN) , at a programme held at Girl's Guide campus in Kanifing. The aim of the training is to empower participants with necessary skills to be able to advocate strategies on all issues affecting children in The Gambia and to promote mass information, education and communication.
It also aimed at enabling them to express their needs and participation in making decisions affecting them at all levels.
In his keynote address, the National Co-coordinator of Children for Children organization (CFCO), Mr. Ibrahim Ceesay told the gathering that the association is a research and advocacy-based civil society organisation that advocates issues responsive to educational, social, health, recreational psychological, environmental and economic needs of children. He revealed that they strive towards child and community development in the most sustainable way by bringing them together, share ideas and skills on issues affecting them at all levels. Noting that in The Gambia young people consist of 60% of the population, he said there is a need to equip them with skills on issues affecting them.
He challenged the participants to take the training seriously and use the skills gained from the programme to advocate for other children.
For her part, the Speaker of National Youth Parliament (NYP) Honourable Maimuna Sarr lamented that society has a task in protecting children, hence they are vulnerable in all cases
She lamented that children are being misused in society and challenged all and sundry to do something about it.
She stressed that society needs a positive change to attend to developments, especially child development. In taking leadership training you should be able to have the passion, she said.
She further urged the participants to be loyal to what they stand for and advised them to be respectful to elders.
Honourable Sarr maintained that as young people they should serve as change agents in the wider society.
Other speakers included Sulayman Jallow, the Administrative Finance Officer of Children Advocacy Network.
