The Gambia Press Union (GPU) Saturday, 29th February 2020, launched its Affiliates Support Program. The program is part of a 30-month project that the Union is co-implementing with Gambia Media Support (GAMES), a Denmark-based non-profit organisation set up to support the Gambian media.
The project, launched in June 2019, seeks to further strengthen the GPU as an advocate for members, the media and democracy in The Gambia.
The Affiliates Support Program component of the project is designed to strengthen the six formally registered affiliates of the GPU on key areas such as policy formulation, organisational administration, financial management, fundraising, and communication and advocacy.
Speaking on the occasion, Pa Modou Faal, Head of GPU Board Programs Committee, said the GPU is ever committed to supporting and strengthening its affiliates through capacity building and financial support.
“Affiliates are important to the GPU that is why the leadership of GPU never relents in looking for opportunities to strengthen them,” he said.
Mr Faal urged the affiliates to make best use of the opportunity to position themselves better for the interest of their members and the media industry in general.
Sheriff Bojang Jr, president GPU, said it is important that the affiliates and other groups of journalists in the country focus on their areas of interest and passion.
“My hope under this project is that each of the affiliates will be re-energised and will continue to work in the interest of its members,” he said. “When all the affiliate groups work effectively towards their set objectives, the work of the GPU will be much easier.”
President Bojang called on the affiliates to be accountable to their members in the implementation of their programs just as the GPU is accountable to its mass membership.
The six beneficiary affiliates under this program are:
- Women Journalists Association of The Gambia
- Young Journalists Association of The Gambia
- Sports Journalists Association of The Gambia
- Network Agricultural Communicators
- Human Rights Network The Gambia
- Network of Community Radios of The Gambia
There is a total of sum of D2 million for the Affiliates Support Program. Out of this, D900,000 is for the affiliates to send their members to the Media Academy for Journalism and Communication (MAJaC) for core journalism training.
There is another D900,000 for the affiliates to implement their own activities.
Also as part of the project, each of the affiliates is to send in an intern to the GPU for two months and the person will receive transport allowance each month.