By Aminata Kuyateh
Crab island Thursday inaugurated a new skills development and youth empowerment centre in Bwiam.
The Crab Island Annex Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centre is stationed at the Foni Ding-Ding Federation Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre.
The ceremony was attended by community leaders, government officials, representatives of international development partners, and youth from across the Foni region. The training programme is part of a broader initiative funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UN PBF) and implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), in collaboration with the Foni Ding-Ding Federation.
Matarr John, director of Crab Island TVET, said the training programme is implementing a nine-month intensive in-house technical and vocational training for 50 young people across Foni.
“The trainees will also undergo a three-month intensive training ahead of an assessment and certification by NAQAA if they are found to be competent,” he said.
Yusupha Keita, the ITC country director emphasised the role of TVET in promoting peace and sustainable development.
“Our mission is to ensure that the young people are equipped with the practical skills needed for employment and entrepreneurship, fostering stability and resilience within communities,” he said.
Mr Keita added that for the past seven years, ITC, in close collaboration with different stakeholders, have supported the training of more than 5,000 young Gambians across the nation.
Mr Keita reiterated the importance of community ownership and sustainability, adding that the programme is aligned with The Gambia’s national development priorities.
Ousman Sillah, chairperson and founder of Crab Island TVET centre, said the idea is to make sure that the training is not a one-off intervention that ends after the ITC-funded intervention, but to continue as a training centre that will be offering various skills that are needed by the young people as well as the communities of Foni.
Mr Sillah disclosed that crab island is the training centre that charges the least for the trainings it offers.
“We are giving our trainees 65 percent scholarship and the physically disable are given 100 percent scholarship,” he said.
Edi Bah of the Foni Ding-Ding Federation, expressed gratitude to the partners involved, highlighting how the partnership will empower rural youth.
“This centre is not just a building—it’s a beacon of hope for many young people in this region,” he said.
The new centre, an extension of the iconic Crab Island TVET in Banjul, is tailored to meet the unique needs of the youth in the West Coast Region, with a focus on electrical and solar installation, hairdressing, and other demand-driven trades. It offers an opportunity for young people—especially those at risk of marginalisation—to gain skills that are directly linked to economic opportunities in their communities.
In a similar event the Crab Island TVET centre signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Foni ding-ding federation marks an important milestone in the history of the institutions.
