By Binta Jaiteh
The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO) on Monday trained its members on leadership and organizational management.
The programme funded by FORUM CIV-Sweden, GG, TANGO, and Future in our Hands was held at the TANGP Conference Hall.
Speaking during the daylong training, the Executive Director of TANGO Ndey Sireng Bakurin said the equal rights, through education, dialogue and advocacy programme is being implemented by three organizations, Gambia Grupperna (GG) a Swedish organization, Future in Our Hands the Gambia (FIOHTG) and The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations in The Gambia (TANGO) as implementing partners.
She said the ambition aimed at strengthening the civil society capacity in The Gambia, so that the local population is given the ability to change their own situation through civil society activism. This is in line with the NDP and SDGS, TANGO’s, FIOHTG’s, and GG’s long-term goals and strategy.
According to the ED, Non-governmental organizations and CSOs play an essential role in our society. As mentioned earlier, one of the strategic pillars of the programme is capacity development – institution building and resource development. Many of the challenges experienced by NGOs and CSOs stem from an inadequate understanding of collaborative and effective management mechanisms in various areas that can be minimized with appropriate training.
She added that such training is needed to improve leadership and management for sustainability as coming together is a beginning and keeping together is progress.
“We need to enhance the overall management and operational effectiveness of non-governmental and civil society organizations. Therefore, recognition is the need for organisational competencies within the NGO/CO community-a combination of knowledge, skills, experience, and commitment that will strengthen our resolve to manage our financial and human resources and our outreach endeavours more effectively and efficiently,” she stated.
More so, she said, the nature of development makes new demands on NGOs and Civil society, the need to understand and work within complex systems, the need for flexibility, adaptability and innovation and a genuine commitment to multiple lines of management and accountability.