The Youth Employment Network, Gambia Chapter (YEN Gambia) in partnership with Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) The Gambia, through their BLF funded project, last Thursday, held a day long general membership meeting at the YMCA board room in Kanifing, MDI Road.
The forum was to discuss and share best practices among young people and other stakeholders. YEN Gambia Chapter was established in The Gambia in 2002 as a national network of youth organisations advocating the creation of decent employment and sustainable livelihoods for the youths of the country. The establishment of the network was based on the demographic realities of The Gambia which is a youthful population, the labour force and high unemployment among youths, coupled with the severity of the crisis, especially as it affects demands.
Speaking at the forum, Alfusainey Ganno, the chairperson of YEN Gambia said that 60% of the population is youths, noting that they should involve themselves in skill training in order to have a better living. He affirmed that the aim and objective of the network is to encourage the youths to work for the development of the country. Ganno urged the youth to stop sitting at ghettos and drinking Attaya (green tea) and smoking.
For his part, Project Coordinator YMCA, Mr. Joseph Taiwo Peacock said the young people really need the support in order for them to meet their livelihoods. He noted that the YMCA aims to work with the young people for the creation of employment opportunities which is geared to promoting development. “We have awarded scholarships to over two hundred youths and also provide training for over one thousand six hundred and seventeen youths all over the country.”
Peacock also challenge the youths to take up responsibilities as future leaders noting that without participation, there would not be any development and youth empowering.
He further said the rural folks also should be equally represented in the affairs of YEN as this will also promote YEN’s affairs in the rural areas.
Abdou FB Boye, the national coordinator of YEN Gambia, revealed that since the inception of the association in 2002, it has 80 national networks. He said the establishment of the network was in response to a call made by the then UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan to UN member states. According to him, youth employment has grown worldwide over the past decades reaching on all time high with young people aged 15 to 24 now representing nearly half the world’s jobless.
Among the aims and objectives of the network, he said, is to encourage the private sector in employing youths and enhancing their capacities; to conduct or commission research on the depth, scope and intricacies of youth employment with a view to developing innovative youth employment programme; to lobby government, NGOs and donor community in The Gambia to support the cause for creating employment opportunities for the youths and to create attitudinal change in the youths of The Gambia to move away from self complacency, lack of confidence and the reluctance to embark on the so-called inferior jobs.
Boye further urged the youth of The Gambia to come out and involve in skill training to sustain the development of the country. Other speakers included Madi Jobarteh, the deputy director and programme manager Tango; Bakary Badjie from Child Protection Alliance; Nfamara Jawneh, communication and advocacy officer of YEN; and Abdul Jobe, the secretary of YEN who all expressed similar sentiments at the meeting.