By: Haruna Kuyateh
A 19-member visiting youth, staff and volunteers from 4H Norway are on a two-week exchange visit to 4H Gambia youth’s club in the Gambia. The visit aimed at promoting cultural ties through exchange visits.
During the visit a team of youths from Norway will stay with host families within 4H Gambia intervention areas in the Niamina, Niani and Jokadu, to interact with youths, school and host families.
The team visited Songhai Training Centre, the former Charente Agricultural Training Centre, a place where 4H Gambia was conceived by a Norwegian volunteer in 1987. The centre is now providing training opportunities for youths on integrated agriculture.
Alieu Ceesay National Programme Director 4H The Gambia underscored the importance of cordial and strong partnerships with 4H Norway over the years. He noted that the initiative is part of fostering cooperation between two organisations in empowering youths and women and also promoting South-South cooperation in diverse areas of attaining sustainable development.
The visiting team held a discussion with 4H Alumni to review and map out a strategy for the advancement of community-led projects. He hailed 4H Norway for supporting development projects and enhancing human resource development at organisational and community levels. The visit took the team to the Sey Kunda animal husbandry project and compressed bricks-making machine of Niamina Dankunku District in Central River Region South.
Musa Chaw 4H The Gambia Finance and Administrative Officer observed that the exchange programme will strengthen ties and enable youths to learn from each other. He recalled that the exchange visit has been existing over the years, but due to COVID-19, the program was affected.
Mr Chaw also noted that both countries have a lot to share in accelerating youths’ development in the environment, education, entrepreneurship and social work. The beneficiary youths in the Niamina 4H cluster also benefited from the orientation on bookkeeping, secretarial duties and vegetable gardening.
TOR BREKKE 4H Norge expressed delight over the visit and described the intervention of 4H The Gambia with the youth club as crucial in strengthening youths’ development. He assured the team of their commitment to consolidating strong partnerships to bring about meaningful involvement and participation of youths in all spheres of development.