By: Lamin B. Darboe
Tujereng community and its surrounding recently benefitted D4 million skills training center called: ‘FONGAM Skills Training Center’ funded by the Foundation for the Needy-Gambia and SOS-Gambia, a registered NGO based in Denmark operating in The Gambia.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the chairlady of SOS-Gambia NGO, Madam Susan Skove Petersen thanked all those who joined them to inaugurate the skills center.
She urged the community of Tujereng and Kombo South in general to take good care of the facilities so that they can get more help from them, adding that the money used for the building of the center came from the Danish people.
She explained that from the beginning of this project, they thought that it is only Tujereng people who will be enroll here, but it came to their noticed that some students who are far are also attending the center.
She is optimistic that with this center will create job for Gambians while explaining that the center is in its 4th year of operation and in 2018 their 1st batch graduated.
She pointed out that 8 of their best students are under sponsors at GTTI and other institutions.
Malamin Fatty , Principal of the center, explained that his center was opened in September 2015 with 50 students and said the present student enrolment stands at 83.
He added that out which, 46 are boys and 37 are girls stressing that their curriculum is based on Information Communication Technology (ICT), Mathematics, English Language and Business Management.
He revealed that SOS-Gambia is sponsoring the center’s deserving student to further their education at GTTI, NAWEC School and Insight Training Centre to study electrical installation among others.
Fatty highlighted that skills development is an integral aspect of economic and social development chain while he also said: “Acquisition of skills is a catalyst of enhancement of national development”.
Omar M.J.P Ndow, FONGAM National Coordinator said FONGAM is a non-profit NGO founded in 2008, noting that since its inception, the NGO is providing bursaries to hundreds of students in the country.
“This year, it has provided bursaries through SOS-Gambia NGO to hundred students at a cost amounting to D8 million and also offered sponsorship to 8 students to further their education at higher levels,” Fatty informed.
He sent his gratitude to the Chairlady SOS-Gambia NGO, Susan Skove Petersen and all those who made the ceremony possible especially the chief, Kombo South, Lamin Darboe, Councilor Bundung six Junction Ward, Sulayman Jammeh and others.