By: Haruna Kuyateh
The ActionAid International – The Gambia (AAITG) has received funding from the European Union (EU) for the implementation of a 24 months project in collaboration with the Activista – The Gambia.
The project title is Building Democratic Culture and Tolerance Through Awareness Raising and Civic Education and it aimed to provide space for School Competition on Best Writers on Human Rights and Democracy with target of 6 Senior and Upper Basic Secondary Schools within Upper Nuimi in North Bank Region.
Foday Kanyi, the project manager dilated on the background of the project and noted that since the project was launched in 2019 with funding tune of €200,000, an amount which ActionAid contributed 10% as co-funding.
He disclosed that the project aimed to enhance democratic and political tolerance since the Gambia is transitioning from dictatorship to democratic rule, therefore, ActionAid International The Gambia wants to promote Civic Education in The Gambia through reorienting the people towards a better understanding of their civic rights and responsibilities, voter education (pre, during and post-election) democratic political participation, tolerance and social cohesion and to support the Gambia’s transitional justice process through writing, art work and poetry.
He noted that the project is jointly implemented by Activista Youths Advocacy Group of ActionAid International The Gambia to harness understanding and awareness among schools and communities.
He added that the ActionAid wants to create an enabling environment for students to explore their capabilities and skills in writing, artwork, public speaking, and poetry.
Among other things, he said Actionaid is committed to the promotion of rights through human rights based approach (HRBA) to development tool and ensuring that the voice of the voiceless are heard.
The participating schools included Albreda, Sitanunku, Bakalarr, Kerr Cherno Senior Secondary Schools, Pakau and Kerr Mama Basic Cycle Schools. Each participated school presented an article, a poem, story or an art work all within the context of democracy, human rights, ethnic, political tolerance and peace.
The outcome of the synergy was to promote public speaking skills and enhance youth participation in peaceful elections.
North Bank Region Governor Lamin Saidykhan thanked ActionAid and ACTIVISTA for the initiative and described the project as timely and important.
The Governor emphasized on importance of building awareness on democracy, tolerance which he said will contribute to the attainment of successful elections.
He therefore described the writer’s competition important which will accord the teachers some opportunities to better prepare students to compete and get prizes.
Momodou Cham Regional Education Director for region 3, Chief Momodou Cham of Upper Nuimi, MatarrNdow Chief Judge and Dawda SM Joof Principal of Kerr Cherno Upper and Senior Secondary School all made comments thanked the organizer and sponsor of the project.
However, PakauNjogu Upper Basic School emerged as winners, follow by Albreda and Bakalarr Senior Secondary Schools who case second and third respectively and notably all the winners were girls and each received bumper bicycles, bags and learning materials were given to all participated students.
Also, Consolation prizes of D2,500.00 were given to each school.