The
President’s International Award needs D445,000 to successfully organize
seven-day National Expedition and Residential Project in Bwiam, West Coast
Region, officials said.
The
event is targeting 150 Award participants at all levels across the country from
School Award participants, community Award participants and Gold Award Holders
Association, within the age bracket of 14 to 25.
The
event will be held under the theme: “You have more in you than you think”.
The
aim of the event is to create, strengthen and develop sustainable collaboration
and partnership between young people and the communities to clear communities
of hazards of indiscriminate dumping and other materials.
It
also meant to empower communities with information on health, volunteering and
the importance of community services and encourage young people to adopt and
develop livelihood and technical skills.
Capacity
building, sharing skills, intergeneration dialogue, and cultural activities
among others will be part of activities during the camp.
There
will be also a commemoration of the 60th Year anniversary of the International
Award during the event.
The
event is out to promote cohesiveness, understanding and sense of community
services among participants. Promote the wellbeing of the environment through
cleansing exercise, community sensitizations.
It also expected to promote peace and
development as cardinal principles of a prosperous society and committed
citizenship, develop leadership capacity of young people, promote volunteerism
as a core and fundamental Gambian value and adventure and discover the life of
others.
“As
a total youth development institution and a member of satellite institutions of
Ministry of Youth and Sports, the call for all-inclusiveness in national
development and reaching out to marginalized and grassroots communities are a
responsibility we pride ourselves to take wholeheartedly,” organizers said.
This,
they added, is evident to be a key and fundamental principle of the Award
programme through challenging young people everywhere through community
services and residential project among others.
According
to them once a young person challenges him or herself in order to adventure,
discover and participate in community service initiatives, his or her talents
and potentials, which are pre-requisite for productivity and self-reliance, are
sharpened and enhanced to greater heights.
“Ultimately,
the Award provides shortcomings and inadequacies of our formal education
systems. In effect, it is a non-formal educational programme that fills gaps
created by the classroom and young people take it during their leisure and free
time,” he said.
Organizers
said the Award programme is currently taking place in over 140 countries and
territories around the world and the aim is to create committed global
citizens. In The Gambia it operates in schools and communities.
The
organizers called on Non-governmental Organizations, government institutions,
parastatals, private sectors and individuals to support the course of young
people.