By Samsideen Ceesay
A 2-day community child protection training of trainers for Old Yundum Constituency organised by Old Yundum Community Child Protection Committee in collaboration with Ding Ding Yiriwa Federation has recently wrapped up under the theme “promoting good parenting”.
The training was held at Marie Bennette Skills Training Centre in Wellingara.
Speaking at the opening, Alieu Mendy, manager Ding Ding Yiriwa Federation said children are the future leaders and their protection should be everybody’s business.
Mr Mendy noted: “If we do not nurture our children through a good parenting system they would not be the leaders we want them to be in future.”
Child protection, he went on is very holistic, saying children need to have good education, accommodation, eat healthy food, have conducive environment to play.
He said there needs to be an enabling environment for children to thrive well, adding that child protection is the only way we can harness our children to become good citizens.
“If we do not focus on child protection the product of our country will not be good”, he said.
He said Ding Ding Yiriwa Federation, a community based organisation established in Kombo North and South to help deprived, excluded and vulnerable children get education, good nutrition and skills for youth to gain employment.
Also speaking at the event, the Honourable Abdoulie Ceesay, National Assembly Member for Old Yundum Constituency, thanked his development committee for the initiative to establish a child protection committee in the constituency. He also thanked Ding Ding Yiriwa Federation for their support.
The Honourable Ceesay said child protection is a key pillar for national development, saying when parents protect their children the way they should we will have a better Gambia.
He added: “Development cannot take place in the absence of child protection. Parents need to understand child protection issues which are fundamental and work accordingly for the benefit of our nation”.
Yusupha Cham, special political adviser to President Adama Barrow in his remarks, said children do not know what is harmful to them and therefore need to be protected and guided on the right path for the benefit of our nation.
Mr Cham added: “We should collectively endeavor for the welfare of children as government alone cannot do it even though it is government’s responsibility to provide us with schools, hospitals, roads amongst others,” he said.
