By Haruna Kuyateh
The District Youths Committee (DYC) Chairperson for Lower Nuimi has commended ActionAid International The Gambia and the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund for their efforts under the Youth-Led Advocacy and Lobbying for Youth Inclusion project. The initiative aims to create awareness and build the capacity of young people to assume leadership positions within decentralized structures, thereby strengthening local governance and community development.
Alfu Marong made the remarks during a community outreach organized by ActionAid’s Juffureh office. The program sought to remove barriers that limit youth participation in Village and Ward Development Committees. He highlighted that a recent caravan tour under the Youth Participation and Inclusivity (YPI) project successfully engaged youths from 12 Village Development Committees (VDCs) across Lower Nuimi, Jokadu, and Lower Badibou, with four VDCs trained in each district. The outreach employed door-to-door campaigns and reached 20 communities in the participating districts.
The initiative provided capacity-building sessions on the roles and responsibilities of VDCs. Marong noted that youth participation had led to the identification of priority areas for support and promoted social mobilization within communities.
The DYC Chairperson emphasized that dialogue between youths and authorities is crucial to bridging gaps and fostering mutual understanding. He expressed concern over the extended tenure of many VDC members and called on the Kerewan Area Council and other stakeholders to support restructuring and capacity enhancement. According to Marong, enforcing term limits for VDC members would encourage broader youth involvement in community service.
Describing the outreach and advocacy activities under the YPI project as significant, Marong said the initiative has helped bridge communication gaps, promote conflict resolution, and empower youths to contribute meaningfully to national development.