By: Haruna Kuyateh
The Forum for African Women Educationalists Gambia Chapter (FAWEGAM), in partnership with the Gambia Agriculture and Food Security Project (GAFSP) through the World Food Programme (WFP), and in collaboration with the Ministries of Basic and Secondary Education and Health, recently conducted a four-day training of trainers for adolescent girls and peer health educators.
Held at the Governor’s Office in Kerewan, North Bank Region, the training focused on nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), gender equality, and feeding. The participants were drawn from Lower Basic and Madarasa schools and the initiative aimed to enhance their knowledge on the importance of good nutrition, hygiene, and health practices.
Governor Lamin Saidykhan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the development of health and education sectors. He commended FAWEGAM and the WFP for complementing national efforts to promote school retention and eliminate harmful traditional practices such as forced and early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). He also assured the full support of the Governor’s Office in promoting the education of the girl child.
Yadicon Njie-Eribo, FAWEGAM’s National Coordinator, noted that the training would empower girls and peer educators to focus on their education while promoting better hygiene practices. She thanked the WFP for its partnership, which she said strengthens the capacity of mothers’ clubs and benefits children across schools.
Lamin Cham, Senior Programme Associate at WFP, described the training as vital in empowering girls with the knowledge and skills to drive positive behaviour change. He said the intervention would enhance food and nutrition security and boost household income through the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.
Fatoumata Singhateh of the School Health and Nutrition Unit at the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education gave a detailed presentation on basic nutrition and school feeding. Her presentation covered food-based dietary guidelines, micronutrient supplementation, food fortification, and initiatives to improve school meals. She emphasized the role of deworming and Vitamin A supplementation in preventing malnutrition and boosting children’s health and immunity.
The training supports the National School Feeding Programme’s goal to ensure every child has access to nutritious meals, thereby supporting their growth, health, and academic performance.
