Sarahulleh
Youth Development Organizations (SYDO) is hereby seeking for partnership and
support from willing hands to embark on construction and implementation of
skills and agricultural development project for education improvement and promotion
of culture in the spirit of peace and unity.
The
organization aims to foster and promote understanding and co-operation among
and between its members, as well the government of The Republic of The Gambia
and other groups geared towards contributing effectively to the progress and
development of the country.
Formed
in June 2009, the association has since secured office space for its
secretariat at West Field, opposite St. Therese’s school in Kanifing, where its
Sooninke Language Literacy Centre is housed.
The
literacy centre was initiated through a sub-association created for educational
purposes.
The
centre is providing literacy classes in Sarahulleh (Sooninke)- a local dialect
in The Gambia, open to the public. The classes are run 3 days in every week, 2
hours in a day, thereby according people the opportunity to learn Sarahulleh
Language and culture.
In
the words of Muhmmed Lamin Juwara, SYDO President: “The classes have helped
many Sarahulleh speakers to learn about their language and trace their roots
and culture through their literacy classes.”
Mr
Juwara said the association also engages in farming activities during every
raining season, which they intend to expand and maintained in a bid to
contribute towards the attainment food self-sufficiency in The Gambia.
Mr
Juwara who is currently running the day to day affairs of SYDO further
explained that they have been organizing annual sports tournaments in the
Greater Banjul Areas and in the Upper River Region (URR) as means of
encouraging and promoting sports development in the country since 2011.
“Over
the years, SYDO recorded about thousand registered members in The Gambia and
abroad,” he said.
In
addition to the Sooninkan Language being taught, in 2010 the association
started offering English, French, Spanish, German Languages, facilitated by
Facuru Sillah, former President of the defunct Gambia Student Union (GAMSU).
However,
due to his busy schedules, other languages were dropped, except the Sooninke
(Sarahulleh), English and Arabic Languages, which are still up and running
weekly, sponsored by SYDO.
“SYDO
has also been organizing Annual Cultural Festival which aims to portray
Sooninke culture, especially to the youth, with a view to enlighten them about
their cultural values and practices,” pointed out Mr Juwara.
He
further stated that among their social responsibilities they are organizing
annual beauty pageants as well donate school materials to various schools in
the Upper River Region.
In
recognition of the fact that they represent a minority tribe with the lowest
formal education and enrollment rate in The Gambia, SYDO signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the American Embassy with a view to preserving its culture
values and improving its educational level, among related activities.
On
their intended activities, Mr Juwara said they secured a plot of land which is
already fenced, but construction of rooms for use as multi-purpose centres till
remains a challenge. The organization is currently developing proposals to seek
funding to develop the 50 by 50 centimeter square land space situated in Basse,
over 300 kilometres from the Capital, Banjul.
Among
activities intended to be embarked upon at the Basse Multipurpose centre are
Carpentry, Arts and Designing, Tailoring, Construction activities, as well
guest rooms for a team of 16 people, conference/training hall, and offices.
Juwara
also said:“As part of their intended plans to expand on agricultural
development activities are the digging of two boreholes for community gardening
in PeraiTenda and Galleh Mandakh villages respectively.”
Partners
wishing to invest in these areas can contact on +220 99 185 74 / 79 871 96 / 39
345 83
