The validation of this paper titled ‘Ja Burok – Let’s Get to Work,’ also witnessed the unveiling of its upcoming 4th edition of its annual festival slated from 3rd to 5th January 2025 in Sibanor, Foni Bintang.
However, this landmark strategy paper outlines FARD’s commitment to addressing critical community challenges, improving livelihoods, and fostering sustainable development across Foni. Also, this annual fest seeks to bring to the fore the agency achievement while showcasing the region’s vast culture and traditions.
Meanwhile, the agency’s strategic objectives cut across a wide range of areas from agricultural Sustainability and Climate Resilience; Youth, Sports, and Arts Development; Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship; Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship to Peace Building and Sustainable Community Development, among a host of others.
In addition, FARD’s 2024–2034 strategy aims to reduce poverty and improve livelihoods across Foni; empower marginalised groups, including women and youth; strengthen community resilience to climate and socio-economic challenges as well as promote peace, inclusivity, and sustainable development.
It also seeks to enhance institutional capacity for effective service delivery and accountability.
With core values to respect for diversity, equity and inclusiveness, accountability, transparency, integrity, and professionalism, FARD seeks to improve the living standards of communities, fostering productivity and responsiveness for lasting societal change.
Fa Kebba Kujabie, chairman FARD, highlighted the critical areas that the agency has been involved in the past, acknowledging that the agency has been involved in many development initiatives alongside their partners.
This, he added, has contributed immensely towards bettering the lives and livelihoods of people of Fonis as a whole, while also addressing misunderstanding and even border conflicts within the area.
In addition, he noted that FARD is an agency that is also into supporting communities with medicaments, victims and even food supplies, saying their ambition is to expand beyond Foni.
Commenting on the upcoming 2025 Fest, Marima Jammeh, Vice chairperson of FARD, hinted that this year’s fest will be one of its kind as they planned to make is bigger and better, featuring some exciting new features never seen before.
“We are going to see a very different fest and a very improved one this year. That people will not only come and listen to music and gets entertain, but a very interesting stories to go with. If you want to taste our rich traditional cuisines, if you want to buy locally made products from Foni, you are welcome.”
This, she said, is also part of tourism promotion as far as their fest is concern.
Sarja Colley head of Sports for the fest, spoke of their readiness to make this forthcoming event bigger and better, further assuring that the Foni Bintang is fully prepared to host this year’s event.
He talked about the progress being made ahead of the event, saying their wrestling competition will feature both junior to senior categories attracting some of the country’s finest wrestlers.
