The United States Embassy in The Gambia, on Monday, organised a one-day training for over 30 Gambian journalists from both the print and electronic media including The Gambia Press Union (GPU) and Media Agenda, at the Embassy’s Conference hall, located at its offices along Kairaba Avenue.

The participants, who were drawn from various media houses such as the Daily Observer, The Point, GRTS (Radio and Television), Today newspaper, Gambia News and Report Weekly, The Gambia Daily, Foroyaa, Daily Express, GPU and Media Agenda, were trained on internet research. The presentation was done by Stephen M Mallinger, information resource officer at the embassy of the United States of America in Dakar, Senegal.

During the course of the training, the US ambassador to The Gambia, Barry L Wells, made a surprise visit to the participants. Ambassador Wells thanked the participants for honouring the invitation to this training opportunity. He advised them to take the training seriously and do their research work to enhance their capacities.

Ambassador Wells finally expressed their desire to further collaborate with the media fraternity, for more training opportunities.
At the end of the training, Mohamadou M. Njie, public diplomacy and cultural affairs assistant at the US Embassy, thanked the US Embassy for organising such an important training for Gambian journalists. He also advised the journalists to make the best use of the knowledge gained during the internet research training course.

For his part, Sheriff Barry, a reporter with the Daily Observer, said such a training will add value to his profession as a journalist. He thanked the US Embassy for capacitising Gambian journalists.

Asanatou Bojang, also a reporter with the Daily Observer, expressed delight at receiving such an important training. She expressed optimism that the training will help to improve her strength in the field of journalism. She thanked the US Embassy for the training opportunity.

Nyimasata Marong, a layout editor at the Daily Observer; Nfamara Drammeh, a photographer at the Daily Observer; Amie Sanneh, a reporter at Foroyaa newspaper; Mamadou Edrissa Njie, a reporter at Gambia News and Report Weekly; and Fatou Touray, a reporter at the Gambia Daily newspaper, who spoke on behalf of their colleagues, all expressed similar sentiments.

In a bid to enhance the knowledge and capacities of ECOWAS Parliamentarians on gender related issues, the ECOWAS Gender and Development Center recently organised a two-day seminar on gender mainstreaming. 

Held at the Paradise Suites Hotel, the seminar amonger other things sought to build the capacities of ECOWAS to have a greater understanding of the concept of mainstreaming in gender as enshrined in the policies and programs of the ECOWAS Parliament.  This is also in fulfillment of the mandate of the ECOWAS Gender and Development to initiate and facilitates capacity building through knowledge and skill-based training.

In her opening remarks, Madam Aminata Dibba, acting director of the ECOWAS Gender and Development Center, underscored the importance of the training seminar which she said is imperative to the global quest of gender equity in the development process.

According to Madam Dibba, the Seminar will help build the capacity of Ecowas parliamentarians to understand the concept of gender mainstreaming.

She posited that gender mainstreaming in the policies and programmes of ECOWAS Parliamentarians is strengthening the on-going transformation of the integration process.

Madam Dibba noted that this will further lay the foundations for women to participate more effectively in the development process and there by the region in order to maximise the utilisation of its human and material resources.

In her presentation at the Seminar, Mrs. Adelaide Sosseh said that the Seminar will greatly enhance the harmonisation of policies and programes in the ECOWAS community and thus help in the elimination of gender inequalities and disparities in the region.

The workshop brought people from 15 African nations, namely: Niger, Nigeria, Zanzibar, Zambia, The Gambia, Senegal, Cameroon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Togo, Mali, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, together. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the workshop the Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Malick Njie thanked the organisers for choosing The Gambia as the venue for this international workshop. He revealed that The Gambia adopted the Primary Health Care (PHC) programme in 1979 following the Alma-Ata Declaration Of 1978. Subsequently the programme on immunisation was established in 1982 and was integrated with the maternal and childcare programme for a more cost effective and efficient system. He further revealed that there has been a reduction in child mortality based on the targeted diseases since then. “Remarkable progress was made in immunisation coverage with a considerate reduction in child morality” Mr. Njie stated.

For his part the executive officer of SSI, Mr. Benedict Beni said the aim of the workshop was to develop primary eye care in West Africa. He disclosed that the workshop was also meant to identify priority actions and integrate blindness prevention in the existing PHC programme.

He also advised the participants to make good use of the knowledge gained from the workshop and share it with their communities.

NKawsu Badjie, an ex-Corps Member of the National Youth Service Scheme NYSS, whoalso doubled as the Chairman of the interim Executive Committee of NYSS Alumni Association, will leave Banjul today to the Republic of Mali an NYSS media release has revealed. While in Bamako, Kausu will be attending a month-long training in Electrical Installation at Soufouroulaye Centre.

The training, organised by the ECOWAS Commission for Youth and Sports Development Centre, in collaboration with the Ministry for Youth matters of the Republic of Mali, aims to promote youth integration in the formal sector, developing youth entrepreneurship in the area of electricity and also to render support to young people by building the capacity of youth who are presently engaged in Home Electrical Installation in all ECOWAS Member states.

Meanwhile, according to the release, the training, which will bring together fifteen youth from the sub region, will commence on 10 April and will end on the 8thof May, 2008. At the end of the training, the release added, each participant expects to go home in addition to the knowledge gained, $600 as grant to boost their businesses by purchasing equipment and other essential materials.

Reacting to the gersture Kawsu Badjie, who now operates his own Air Conditioning, Electrical and Refrigeration workshop, commended the NYSS for its splendid strides in ensuring the development of the human resource base of The Gambia.

“Indeed NYSS has changed the lives of many of us. It is as a result of the training we got at the NYSS that most of us are capable of running our own workshops and also doing very well in our places of work. I most confess that the scheme is on course. Upon my return from Mali, I will strive hard to serve my nation by putting into good use the knowledge gained”, Kawsu promised.

In an unprecedented attempt to provide, replenish and activate the potent impetus for authentic Islamic scholarly research, intellectual and scientific learning in The Gambia, the Al Atharee Association of The Gambia last Thursday opened a unique Islamic Reference Library in the village of Kartong, Kombo South.

The association is a registered charity involved in Islamic education, Dawah and propagation.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdur Rahman La-Touche, Director of the association, revealed that their motto is ‘Action upon the certain knowledge, with firm intention to seek the pleasure of Allah alone’. He thanked all those who contributed to the implementation of the project. “We hope and pray that this Islamic reference library is not only useful for readers among Gambian people alive today, but also for generations yet to born” he said.

Mr. La-Touche is a British national born in the Caribbean and now resident in The Gambia. He also reveled to journalists that the project cost about seven hundred thousand Dalasis.

For his part, Ismaila Sambou, Secretary of State for Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs applauded the initiative. He encouraged people to make the best use of the facility.

Madam Mariam Downewlan La-Touche, wife of Mr. La-Touche who is also a librarian, informed reporters that the reference library would strengthen the knowledge of Allah and Prophet (SAW).

The reference library said to be the first of its kind in the country and is located next to Masjid al-gurabaa. It has over two thousand different authentic books including meaning of Quran in English, Tafseer (explanation of Quran), Ahadith, Fiqh, Tawhid, Aqeeda (correct belief) Eemaan (action upon belief) and Islamic dictionaries.

Several dignitaries including the Western Region Governor Abdou Badgie and prominent Islamic scholars attended the event.

Meanwhile, at end of the ceremony, this reporter managed to get the opinion of the President of Supreme Islamic Council Alhaji Banding Drammeh. This is what he had to say; “ The importance of this facility cannot be over emphasised as it has both Arabic and English sections”. He noted that people couldn’t worship Allah without knowing him and that the reference library would enable people know more about Allah. He encouraged other Islamic associations in the country to emulate the Al Atharee Association of The Gambia. 

A three-day training course for over twenty teachers ended yesterday at the Maummar Gathafi Mosque in Serekunda. The course was funded by the World Islamic Call Society (WICS).

Addressing the closing ceremony, Sheikh Mahmod Haszmi, Deputy Director WICS-Gambia Office, extended his office’s congratulations to the participants, expressing hope that courses of this nature would be organized annually.

Mr. Hazmi assured the participants of his office’s continued support.

He used the occasion to inform participants that the Fatah Revolution would be observed next month to reflect on the achievements of the Libyan revolution. 

Imam Abdoulie Fatty of State House mosque admonished youths to continue searching for knowledge. He applauded the Gambian leader, President Yahya Jammeh, and the Libyan leader, Brother Maummar Gathafi for their invaluable contribution to the promotion and propagation of Islam.

Imam Barham Jobe of Serekunda reechoed similar sentiments, while urging participants to make the best use of the knowledge gained in the course of the three-day training.

Sheikh Sulayman Keiteh, Supervisor of the Gathafi mosque, thanked the World Islamic Call Society for funding the training course, describing knowledge as very important to the wellbeing of an individual and the world as well.

Eighteen students from Quantum Associates were on Friday certified after successfully completing a three-month summer training on Information Technology (IT), at a ceremony held at its Head Office in Kanifing.

Speaking at the ceremony, Gibril Jibi Chorr, Managing Director of Quantum Associates, said his association has always been convinced that the development of human capital from a very young age is the foundation of national development and all efforts must be made to continue to nurture young and brilliant minds like the graduates to better prepare them to take over the reins of leadership.

He then urged the graduates to make good use of the knowledge gained from the training.

“You graduate today, not only as a testimony of youth competence in computers, but also as new members of the Quantum family. I would like to congratulate you for your efforts and success. I am confident that you will put your new knowledge into good use and share it with your colleagues”, he said.

For his part, Yunusa Bah, Deputy Managing Director, Quantum Associates reminded the graduates of several challenges ahead of them, saying “there is a lot more ahead and it is not only this”. 

He then revealed that the students came at a time when they were not able to do anything, but they had managed to do their level best to teach them the best.

At the end of the ceremony, the students were awarded certificates.

Sirah Jobarteh and Abigail Janet gave the vote of thanks, whilst Binta Touray chaired the ceremony.