The FAWE Africa delegation was led by Ms. Oley Dibba Wadda, a FAWE Africa Board Member, and Dr. Martha Muhwezi, Executive Director of FAWE Africa. They were accompanied by Dr. Koly Fall, Knowledge Management Officer, and Ms. Yadicon Njie, Executive Director of FAWE Gambia.
The delegation met with Dr. Jorjoh Ndure-Tambedou, Executive Director of the THET Fund, and members of her team to explore areas of collaboration that could help improve access to inclusive, quality and gender-responsive education.
Discussions focused on strengthening higher education and TVET, while creating better opportunities to support young people in their transition from education and training into employment and entrepreneurship.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of equipping young people, particularly girls and young women, with relevant knowledge, practical skills and opportunities that would enable them to participate meaningfully in the country’s social and economic development.
At the end of the discussions, the two institutions reached an agreement in principle to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will provide a framework for their future collaboration.
Under the proposed partnership, FAWE Gambia and the THET Fund are expected to work together on key initiatives, including Gender-Responsive Pedagogy for TVET (GRP4TVET), the TUSEME model, the development and strengthening of Centres of Excellence, and the exchange of experiences, knowledge and best practices.
Gender-Responsive Pedagogy seeks to promote learning environments that recognise and respond to the different needs and experiences of female and male learners. Its application in TVET is expected to help address gender barriers and encourage greater participation by girls and women in technical and vocational fields.
The TUSEME model, which promotes young people’s participation, leadership and confidence, is also expected to contribute to empowering learners to identify challenges affecting them and participate in developing solutions.
The planned partnership is expected to complement ongoing national efforts to improve the quality and relevance of tertiary education and technical training, while ensuring that education systems are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of young people.
The meeting took place as FAWE Gambia convenes its Annual General Assembly, bringing together key stakeholders to review achievements, strengthen institutional partnerships and identify priorities for advancing girls’ and women’s education in The Gambia.
The proposed MoU between FAWE Gambia and the THET Fund is expected to create new opportunities for collaboration and contribute to the development of a more inclusive, skills-oriented and gender-responsive education sector.
