Ding Ding Bantaba holds AGM

Ding Ding Banta Federation recently organized a daylong Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Sibanor site.

The AGM was part of the annual traditional meeting, where representatives from all the operational areas, which covers three districts of Foni, namely Berefet, Bintang and Kansala, are gathered to discuss, among other things, their progress, lapses and the way forward.

The meeting was interactive as the federation’s staff had a fruitful interaction with the participants, mainly parent and students, and the participants were given the platform to express their views.

According to a report, the federation had made significant gains over the past physical year, although there is a need to improve on other areas, particularly participants’ contribution towards their development activities, among other things.

Musa Amul Nyassi, the deputy governor of West Coast Region, who was at one time working for the federation, used the occasion to give the participants words of wisdom that if adhered to would help improve their progress for the next coming fiscal year.

Giving the annual statement, Karafa M. Bargie, a board member gave a brief background of the Ding Ding Bantaba. Ding Ding Bantaba Federation is a Mandinka word meaning sitting or meeting place for children, he said.

 It is a community-based organization that partnered with ChildFund The Gambia in helping the deprived, excluded and vulnerable (DEV) children to have the capacity to become young adults, parents and leaders, who would bring lasting and positive change in their communities.

He disclosed that the federation’s programmes and activities are fully funded by ChildFund.

The breakdown of the children enrolled in the programme in life stages is as follows: Life stage one (0-5yrs)-625 children, Life stage two (6-14yrs) - 2016 children, Life stage three (15-24yrs)-3820 children.

Citing the challenges of the organization, Mr Bargie outlined low community participation, high dependency on the ChildFund subsidy, inadequacy of drugs, poor performance of children, attitude of parents towards their children’s education, low programmes involvement of the weak or slow learners and youth mobilization, participation and migration.

Ebou Sowe, director of Ding Ding Bantaba, spoke at length on the success his organization registered, while commending the communities for their support and understanding to enable them carry out their duties as expected.

Sowe further highlighted on the significance of the AGM, adding that the meeting would provide the opportunity to review the past activities and programmes and plan ahead for the coming year.

He urged each and everyone to fully represent his/her people, because some of the issues that they agreed on would be their working tools for the coming year.