PUBLICATION OF ACHIEVEMENTS FOR DEPARTMENT
OF STATE FOR YOUTH AND SPORTS
DURING THE PERIOD 1994 - 2004

The 22nd July Revolution has brought in significant progress to the implementation of the programmes of the Department of State for Youth and Sports. Since 22nd July 1994, people’s attitude and work ethics have changed positively in response to the call for Gambians to take up a renewed patriotic stance and fully participate in National Development endeavours.

Therefore, the shift from a reactive work culture to a positive result-oriented approach has spurred the Department of State for Youth and Sports to take innovative measures in decentralising its activities for a more effective implementation of the programmes of its policy objectives. This has brought about a breaking of new grounds and major achievements in the area of Youth and Sports.

In its drive to decentralise youth activities within the country, the Department of State Youth and Sports has established youth and community centres in all the seven divisions of the Gambia. Also Youth coordinators and divisional committees have been set up in conjunction with local authorities to facilitate the coordination of youth activities and programmes at the divisional levels.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

For example, the establishment of a National Youth Service Scheme by an Act of the National Assembly in 1996 aimed at helping the youth to solve problems of indiscipline, frustration, drug abuse, addiction to “ATAYA” (green tea drinking) and unemployment.

Youths are trained in skills of their choices for employment and self-employment opportunities. The Scheme started with an intake of 100 youths in the main programme and increased to 200 youths in the first two years.

By the year 2001, the need for a tracer and impact assessment study was established because of the numbers that had already passed out and the very high demand from youths who wanted to join the scheme.

There were some misconceptions and apprehension from many quarters regarding the viability and success of the programme initially.

Results from the impact assessment proved very positive, especially in the areas of discipline, character modification and the accelerated rate in which youths acquired relevant skills for employability. In consideration of the impact and success rate, Cabinet, in 2002, expanded the mandate of the NYSS to include apprenticeship training for youths who have never been to

school and those who left within six years in primary education. Two hundred and twenty youths (220) of this category were enrolled and new areas of training such as maritime and fishing, entrepreneurship (consumer shops) and tourist guiding were included. This programme lasts between 3-4 years depending on the standard of education of the youth.

The NYSS also established a counselling centre for youths in Bakau, which will be replicated in all Divisions within the country.

In 2002, the Gambia Arab Islamic Bank and the NYSS signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which the Bank will provide 80% funding to corp members who want to be self-employed. So far, D160.247 has been given out to corp members who are on their own.

The President Award Scheme also exists to engage our young people to develop a sense of responsibility to themselves, to their families, communities and the nation. It inculcates in the participants discipline, self esteem, build new relationships and show concern for others by exposing them to the mandatory sections of the Award programme which are; Service, Expedition, Physical Recreation, and Skills and Interest.

Just recently in April 2004 250 Gambian youths received Gold Awards in a joint Award Ceremony between The Gambia and Senegal in which HRH Prince Edward attended as the chief patron.
To date thousands of young people have through the scheme received the different awards: Gold, Silver and Bronze.

The skills component for award participants are inherent in the production centre of the Award Scheme, which was, established through a cooperation agreement between sister award programmes of the Gambia and Scotland officially know as the GAMSCOT Project. The financial and material resources invested into this project is valued at about 20 million dalasis.

The formulation of a new ten years National Youth Policy in 1998 and the implementation of its programme of action has injected an unprecedented dynamism and spirit of entrepreneurship in the Gambian youth. The acquisition of a youth farm by the North Bank Division Youth committee, the production of youth friendly training and information manuals on HIV/AIDS and the establishment of the Youth against Aids Network and Youth Employment Network which are fully functional are some of the achievements the national youth council has registered.

The recent massive collection and purchase of clothing, which was donated to the residents of Central River Division by the Youth Initiative for Development and Change (YIDAC) is a philanthropic gesture and expression of fraternity and compatriotism that has never been witnessed in the Gambia. This is just one example, out of many, which demonstrates the quality transformation.

that the Gambian youth is undergoing through the effective implementation of the programmes of a sound youth policy.

Of course, Government as an active partner in youth development has been making substantial investments in the provision of infrastructure, which provides the arena for active youth participation in the development process. Therefore, the newly constructed multi purpose centre at Pakalinding in the Lower River Division and the refurbished youth centre at Farafenni are examples of collaborative ventures government has been engaging in other divisions.

The establishment of the National Youth Council in the year 2000 by an Act of National Assembly facilitated, among other things, youth empowerment and active involvement in the decision making process for national development. This was a timely move which created the impetus for the successes being attained in the youth front through proper and smooth coordination of activities of the numerous youth organisations in the country and acting as liaison between the Department of State for Youth and Sports and youth organisations.

SPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS

In the area of Sports, the formulation of a National Sports Policy in 1999 and its programme of action, and the establishment of the National Sports Council in the year 2000 by an Act of the National Assembly created a conducive environment for more constructive coordination of activities of sporting associations.

In this connection, Government as usual has ensured that sports development is independently managed by transferring the functions once carried out by the Department of State for Youth and Sports to the newly established Sports Council. In the area of sports infrastructure, government has provided sports facilities in the form of stadiums, multi purpose complexes and sports fields in most of the growth centres in the country. This has encouraged more involvement in sports participation by Gambian Youths, which is contributing significantly to the achievements registered in sports development during the past ten years.

In the same vein, the Department of State for Youth and Sports has established sports coordinators and development officers to oversee and organise sports activities at community and divisional levels. With these reforms, Sports is now becoming a source of national pride for The Gambia.

During the all Africa Games 2003 – Abuja – Nigeria – The Gambia won a Silver Medal in TAEKWONDO. It was won by Mr. Gabriel Jatta – a Gambian studying in Sweden.

The Gambia Karate Association was formed in 1996 and since then, many young people have acquired skills in Taekwondo.

In the confederation of Africa Football CAF under 17-football championship – the Gambia U-17 team is the first National team to participate at a high level at least in a continental championship. The event took place in Switzerland in May 2003.

It could be recalled that the young Scorpions eliminated big football Nations – Mali and Zambia to enable them qualify for the tournament. The young Scorpions were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

The Gambia Wrestling Association with the Assistance of the Shyben Madi family constructed a modern wrestling Arena (Arena Shyben Madi) and it is fully operational at the moment.

Other National Associations are also fully involved in the decentralisation process – such as: -

Karate,
Volleyball
Cricket
Tennis
Table Tennis
Scrabble
Basketball

Please find attach details of achievements in Athletics and statistics of NYSS ahievements.