A transformative wave of empowerment is sweeping through rural Gambia as the National Nutrition Agency NaNA in collaboration with key government and development partners rolls out an intensive sensitisation campaign under the Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project (VYWoSP.)
Spearheaded by NaNA’s Directorate of Social and Behavioural Change Communication SBCC, the initiative seeks to raise awareness and community participation in the implementation of the project, a joint effort between the government of The Gambia and the African Development Bank AfDB aimed at improving livelihoods, health and education for vulnerable groups in the Central River CRR and Upper River URR Regions.
The sensitisation sessions focus on crucial maternal and child health issues such as early antenatal booking immunisation growth, monitoring postnatal care and institutional delivery. Participants were encouraged to adopt early healthcare-seeking behaviours and to make use of quality services available at local health facilities.
Each community meeting provided a platform for residents to ask questions, clarify doubts and strengthen their understanding of the project’s objectives and their own roles in ensuring its success and sustainability. Citizens were also advised to make follow-up inquiries through the National Social Protection Secretariat or the toll-free Single Case Management and Referral Mechanism line 1229.
The campaign is funded at USD7 million by the AfDB Group, with GMD30 million counterpart funding from The Gambia government. The three-year initiative is being implemented under the National Social Protection Agency NSPA Office of the Vice President in partnership with NaNA, the National Enterprise Development Initiative NEDI, the Department of Community Development, the Adult and Non-Formal Education Unit under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education MoBSE and the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure.
The project targets out-of-school youth between 15–35 years and vulnerable women within Kuntaur, Janjanbureh and Basse Local Government areas with a goal to promote sustainable livelihoods and improve access to social services including health, nutrition, education and social protection.
Key components of VYWoSP include empowerment and livelihood support providing functional literacy, agro-business skills development productive equipment and non-financial services to promote youth and women employment.
Under its health component, the project will rehabilitate and equip the Kuntaur Major Health Centre and Fatoto Minor Health Centre to national standards focusing on maternity, paediatric and nutrition care alongside staff accommodation, fencing and the provision of ambulances, medicines and medical supplies.
Similarly the education component targets the rehabilitation of Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres in Sami Karantaba CRR North Kerr Layen CRR South and Diabugu Batapa URR. These facilities will be upgraded with classrooms, fences, furniture, learning materials and playgrounds to enhance children’s early learning and psychological development.
In addition, the project would revitalise Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres to strengthen agro-processing and entrepreneurship skills among rural youth. Beneficiary institutions include the Julangel Skills Training Centre in URR with a capacity of 400 learners; the Tumana Agency for Development with 100 learners and the Gambia Songhai Initiative Centre in the North Bank Region.
At the Kuntaur Multi-Purpose Skills Centre in CRR north, VYWoSP will provide modern equipment and fund 60 youth scholarships to access quality skill apprenticeships and entrepreneurship training in agriculture value chains.
