By Binta Jaiteh
President Adama Barrow Wednesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to empowering women and girls, announcing a grant of D32.931 million for 738 adolescent girls and young women.
The grantees successfully completed entrepreneurship and business management training under the Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus (SWEDD+) Program.
Speaking at the certification ceremony, President Barrow described the event as a celebration not only of the completion of a vital training program but also of the determination, resilience and transformation of the young beneficiaries.
He says the program demonstrates the opportunities that can be created through targeted investment in the potential of young women.
A total of 738 participants from the Greater Banjul Area graduated from the program, comprising 52 from Banjul, 202 from the Kanifing Municipality, and 484 from the West Coast Region.
Barrow said each graduate represented courage, determination and hope, adding that their achievements underscored the importance of providing opportunities for young people to succeed.
The President reiterated that the empowerment of women and girls remained a central pillar of his government’s national development agenda.
“My government believes that the empowerment of women and girls is both a moral obligation and a strategic imperative for national development. No country can fully realize its potential without the active participation of half of its population,” he said.
He notes that economically empowered women contribute to stronger families, more resilient communities and sustainable national development.
President Barrow disclosed that the government had committed D117 million to provide start-up business grants to 2,064 out-of-school and vulnerable adolescent girls and young women across the country.
He announced that D32.931 million had been approved for the 738 graduates in the Greater Banjul Area, with D20.591 million allocated to beneficiaries in the West Coast Region, D9.99 million to the Kanifing Municipality, and D2.35 million to Banjul.
He says the grants are intended to support business creation, promote job generation and enhance the economic inclusion of young women.
The president urged the beneficiaries to manage the funds responsibly, operate their businesses with discipline and integrity, and continue developing their entrepreneurial skills.
He also assured that similar certification ceremonies would be organized across the country as part of the nationwide implementation of the SWEDD+ Program.
Barrow thanked the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, the Women’s Enterprise Fund, development partners and implementing agencies for supporting the initiative. He also expressed appreciation to the World Bank for its continued partnership in promoting women’s economic empowerment in The Gambia.
Representing the World Bank, Franklin Mutahakana described the graduation ceremony as an important milestone in advancing the empowerment of women and girls.
He said girls and women continued to face discrimination and barriers in many societies, often justified as cultural norms, limiting their access to education and opportunities for personal and economic development.
Mutahakana commended the Gambian government for its commitment to investing in adolescent girls and young women through the SWEDD+ Program, which aimed to improve access to education, economic opportunities and essential social services.
He told the graduates that the occasion celebrated not only the completion of their training but also their resilience, dedication and determination.
According to him, the entrepreneurship and business management training had equipped the participants with practical skills to manage resources effectively and transform ideas and challenges into viable business opportunities.
He added that the knowledge acquired through the program would serve the graduates throughout their entrepreneurial journeys and contribute to their long-term economic independence.