The young beneficiaries are poised to enhance their skills and knowledge through this unique opportunity, setting the stage for a brighter future.
The three young individuals from Banjul - Fatou Wally specialising in Cosmetology, Naffie Secka also pursuing Cosmetology, and Omar Sanneh focusing on Tailoring and Design - have embarked on a journey abroad to pursue advanced education and training in their respective fields.
The Banjul Mayor, Rohey Malick Lowe, during the recent handing-over ceremony, stated that she was happy to be part of the initiative and about her partnership with the United Nations South South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and the UNDP.
"Witnessing the swift success of our youth employment initiative is truly a blessing,” the youth promoter mayoress appreciated, saying: “We aspire to involve every young person in this project, as it is dedicated to the youth of The Gambia."
In the same vein, UNDP Gambia Resident Representative Mandisa Mashologu says she is proud of her collaboration with Rohey Malick Lowe and RAFELA to ensuring that the project is successful.
"We are fully committed to supporting the youth volunteerism project, which serves as a pivotal platform for strengthening and enhancing skills development and capacity building among our youth,” she said. “Through active engagement and participation, we aim to cultivate a conducive environment that not only empowers young individuals but also fosters meaningful opportunities for youth employment across The Gambia."
Rohey Malick Lowe, who is the president of REFELA, launched the Youth Volunteerism Project last year under the partnerships of the United Nations South South Cooperation (UNOSSC), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Arab Bank for Africa (BADEA) and the UNDP Gambia.
The project, designed to benefit 500 youths in the capital city, aims to empower them with vocational skills, promote volunteerism, and expand their horizons about The Gambia and the world.
For a period of five years, the project plans to annually offer 500 young individuals the opportunity to acquire skills needed for the job market, gain knowledge and personnel exchange travels to Europe, Asia, Scandinavia, and Africa. Through these international experiences, participants will sharpen their vocational skills, paving the way for increased job prospects and a brighter future.
Advancing Youth Volunteerism Through South-South and Triangular Cooperation amid Covid-19 Response and Recovery aims to foster innovative approaches to skill acquisition among young people, promote youth volunteerism, and implement development strategies that positively impact the youth of Banjul, the capital city of The Gambia.
The initiative is geared towards enhancing the vocational skills of young individuals, encouraging youth volunteerism, and facilitating knowledge exchange through skills acquisition within and beyond the borders of The Gambia.
Consequently, 60 youths have been deployed to training institutions such as University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET), SASS Health and Beauty, Ida’s Idea Fashion Institute, Gomindz Academy and Institute of Tourism and Travel to acquire lifetime skills with monthly stipends for transportation.
The skills set for the first phase include Tailoring and Fashion Design, Computer Skills, Culinary Arts, Electrical Engineering, Auto mechanic, Construction, and Travel and Tourism.
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