KEYCDA empowerment forum wraps-up

A four-day annual Youth and Children Empowerment Forum attended by 100 youths wrapped-up last Sunday at Jiboroh Basic Cycle School in Western Region.

The theme for this year's forum was "Creative Engagement - a New Strategy and a New Approach".

Organised by the Kombo East Youth and Children Development Association, KEYCDA, the forum brought together youth and children within Kombo East and its environs. At the end of the four-day event, our reporter interviewed some of the participants.

Tida Jallow from Basori village commended KEYCDA executive members "for organising such a very important forum" for them, and promised to share the ideas gained at the forum with those in her village who were not part of the forum.

Fatou Darboe, KEYCDA executive member from Kafuta village said she learned many new things, and commended KEYCDA, while calling on her fellow womenfolk to join the association for their future betterment.

Dembo Kuyateh IEC officer for KEYCDA said his association’s main partners are Kaira Nyining Federation, a community based organisation affiliated with ChildFund The Gambia, NYC through Western Region Youth Committee, NACCUG, National Youth Association for Food Security and a host of other youth organisations.

According to Mr. Kuyateh, the association has three organs namely, Youth, Sports and Children committees. He added that the forum participants were divided into three groups: Children, Adult and KEYCDA executive.

The Children's dealt with child protection issues and their responsibilities; the Adult group deliberated on life skills such as entrepreneurship while the KEYCDA executive group identified ways and means to improve KEYCDA operations. He also dilated on the major programmes undertaken by his association during 2009.

Sally Fofana assistant coordinator of KEYCDA and Taslima Jallow from Mandinaba village all expressed their gratitude to KEYCDA for the good work of the association in the district.

The association has a registered membership of over 100 people across the 33 communities within the Kombo East District, the majority of whom are poor, vulnerable and disadvantage youths.