Established since 1984, the International NGO, which operates in The Gambia and mostly in the West Coast Region (WCR), has worked to help children break the generational cycle of poverty and achieve their full potentials in all sectors of development.
The Youth Advisory Council is designed to be a youth engagement strategy with the desire of enabling Child Fund and other partners work directly with the council in identifying issues that affect young people, design programs that are going to respond to those issues, identify partners who will be critical in terms of addressing those problems and also help and prepare young ones who will be taking the mantle of leadership in the future.
Officials said despite the challenges the society faces now, helping young people make informed, confident decisions about their future must be a priority for the government and other key stakeholders.
“As the future leaders of the country, it is important that they are provided with the right policies, guidance and mentorship in order to enable them contribute to making society better for everyone,” Nfamara Dabo, programs and sponsorship Director of Child Fund, said during a recent convergence held at Bwiam in the Foni Kansala District of WCR.
Darboe further spoke at length on the significance of the YAC, saying: “Anything for the youth without the youth is not for the youth. That’s the reason we have this forum.”
The government and private sector organisations, he continued, need to create more opportunities for the youth to be involved in nation building and economic development.
“We are aware that there are various national youth institutions that are established by the government. We are also aware of the fact that there are other youth organisations that are doing very great,” he said. “However, we are looking forward to a council which will bring all other youth organisations to sit at a table and discuss issues affecting them and come out with tangible solution and ideas in addressing those issues.”
The National Youth Council and other youth institutions, Darboe said, are doing well. “But we believe that there is a gap in terms of having the platforms where young people from all different sectors come together to discuss issues that affect them, but also developing programs that will help transform their lives.”
The Child Fund sponsorship director said further: “We will be identifying a technical working group which will comprise members of all the different youth organisations and institutions with a view to enabling them to come together and brainstorm and develop a road map that will lead us to the final establishment of the council.”
The council is going to be voluntary, he stated, adding: “It is going to be only a youth-led organisation so that nobody will interfere in what they do and what they want to achieve. We don’t want the youth to be spectators but we want them to be key players in the future.”
He also said The Gambia has a greater population of youth. “If we give space to these young people, we will be assured of a progressive nation, but if we neglect them, then we should expect a non-progressive nation because the youth are the ones moving the country.”
Gambian youth are not lazy, he emphasised, saying: “We need to create opportunities for them to explore their potentials and skills. We need to repackage ourselves and how we talk to these young people, especially on the issue of irregular migration; otherwise people will still go.”
Isatou Jobe, from ‘Din Ding Yiriwa Federation’ underscored the importance of the convergence, saying: “The forum will not only enable us to interact as young people from different youth organisations, but will also avail us the opportunity to outline some issues affecting us as young people, develop road map and find ways of addressing them.”
She went on: “We have learned so many things during the three days of convergence ranging from leadership skills to other pertinent issues. Such forums would help young people focus on their development, minimise the issue of the deadly ‘back-way’ menace and also discuss issues affecting the well-being of youth most especially the girl child.”
Mariama Jallow added: “Establishing Youth Advisory Council is something that is long overdue. Such bodies will go a long way in shaping the young people of this country, give them confidence and better prepare them. Again, it will help young people across the length and breadth of the country to come under one umbrella and chart the way forward, discuss issues that are geared towards their own growth and betterment,”
Musukuta Komma, Child Fund Country Director, said: “Child Fund working with National Youth Council and other youth organisations intends to establish a Youth Advisory Council, an entity that would comprise young people who serve as an advisory or advocacy body to government and/or donor agencies to be led by the youth.”
“This will provide you the opportunity to engage in policy advocacy and bring creative ideas to government and organisations to support their implementation for the benefit of all youth.”
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