GYIN Gambia to organise first-ever rural youth award

The Gambia chapter of Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN Gambia) is to stage the first ever award meant to recognise the efforts of enterprising youth in rural Gambia.

The Rural Youth Award 2017 (RYA2017) would be held at the Agricultural Rural Farmers Training Centre in Jenoi, Lower River Region (LRR) on the 29th April 2017. 

The theme of the award is ‘WE NEED YOUNG PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS: We need them to produce, process and market the food that will feed the world."

The event is being organised with the financial and logistical support of the International Trade Centre (ITC) through the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) The Gambia, European Union Trust Fund for Africa, the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project (Nema), and National Youth Council (NYC).

The overall aim of RYA2017 is to identify, promote and elevate successful young women and men who, despite all odds, are channeling their creativities, energies and passion to contribute in making a change their communities and societies.

The award would recognise and celebrate the efforts and successes of rural youth in entrepreneurship in the areas of agribusiness and information technology.

RYA2017 would also showcase talented rural youth on entrepreneurship, agribusiness and information technology and would also server as a platform to promote gender equality and inclusiveness.

They key expected outcomes of RYA 2017 includes supporting rural youth business plans, providing 6 months mentorship for the awardees, supporting rural youth with enterprise development opportunities, and supporting increased agricultural production and productivity, access to markets and services.

The Rural Youth Award committee believes that rural youth have a key role to play in reversing the threats of agriculture, climate change, food security and related issues.

The award is open to young Gambian men and women in rural areas within the areas of 18 and 35 years. 

Applications are open and any interested and eligible candidate can pick up a submission form at GYIN Gambia office along Banjul-Brikama Highway at Churchills Town during week days and at working hours. 

AWARD CATEGORIES

1.  Young Farmer of the Year

2. Young Entrepreneur of the Year

3. Young Business Idea of the Year

4. Young Emerging Business of the Year

5. Young Information Technology Enterprise of the Year

6. Young Commercial Farmer of the Year

7.  Young Agribusiness of the Year

8. Young Social Media Campaigner of the Year

9. Best Business Innovation of the Year

10. Young Business Partner of the Year

About GYIN Gambia

Global Youth Innovation Network Gambia Chapter (GYIN Gambia) is a national youth network operating across the country and has been implementing a number of youth projects in the country.

From July 24-31 2016, GYIN Gambia organised and hosted its first national youth summer camp known as the Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Information Technology (ELIT 2016) summer camp in which 45 rural youth ( 26 females and 19 males) participated.

The idea for the first ever rural youth award-RYA stemmed from recommendations from that National Youth Summer Camp held in Jenoi, Lower River Region of The Gambia. One of the 11-point recommendations is to organise a Rural Youth Award- celebrating youth in Entrepreneurship, Agribusiness and Information Technology. The summer camp was supported by the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project (Nema) that is being supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of The Gambia.

For more information about the award, call +220 3938929/ 6181700/ 3546917/ 2502929/ 7454855

Email: gambia@gyin.org