By Fatoumatta Gassama
CinemArena in collaboration with International Organization for Migration (IOM), Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) are on 30 rural communities awareness raising awareness tours on the dangers of irregular migration as well as the socioeconomic opportunities within The Gambia.
The tour which commenced on 25 March will end on 4th May 2019, and aimed at information and educational campaign utilize film screenings, music theatre performances and other entertainment activities to sensitize communities on the dangers of the journey.
Fumiko Nagano, Chief of the mission said CinemArena will take six weeks mobile initiative to tour the rural Gambia in the act of entertainment and information and dialogue with community most especially people considering migration.
CinemArena host it first showed at Sanyang village which brought together five hundred people, while she called Community to engage in enriching discussion of irregular migration.
Andrea Borgaello, lead CinemArena in The Gambia said cinema is to aggregate the people in the community through the screen filming of documentary videos.
He said event will take place in 30 communities in the country offering unique experiences in places where cinema and entertainment activities do not exist.
Alhagie Camara, Gambian Returnees from the Back way also share his experience from back way which he described as inhuman treatment because he was in prison twice with no food no water.
He commended OIM for coming to his aid and also transporting him to back to The Gambia
Lamin Darbo, executive director, national youth’s council noted that cinema can be used to create the best move to spread information, adding that this tool will help to bring social change of migration.