By Omar Bah
Ousman Sonko, board member 4H Gambia, who recently returned from Canada where he was attended the Global 4H bi-annual Summit in Ottawa with Alieu Ceesay, the program director of 4H Gambia, has shared his experience of the summit to the Gambian press.
The summit, he said brought together over 350 delegates drawn from 30 countries worldwide.
He said the summit availed delegates the opportunity to share, reflect and learn from each other on numerous issues.
“The theme of the summit was centered on: My HEAD to clearer thinking, My HEART to greater loyalty to my club, society and country, My HANDS to larger service, and My HEALTH to better living for my club, my community and my country,” he said.
He said the concept of the organization is to combine these four fundamental attributes as young people, “frankly speaking the conference has been a platform of sharing, learning and inspiring each other.”
“The conference has also given me the opportunity to network and share Gambian experience with my colleagues. The delegates have also presented a comprehensive strategic plan which may be funded in the not too long distance future.”
“I am really inspired and challenged to do more in empowering young people,” he added.
He said throughout the period of the summit, prominent personalities some of whom are 4H members inspired the delegates most especially youth delegates to find pleasure in serving others and always strive for more in national development processes.
“These were done in the form of key note addresses and showcasing of these personalities in terms of their contributions and their levels of achievement as well as the role played by 4H values in shaping their future,” he explained.
He added that the summit ended on a very high note in which delegates were highly inspired to continue on contributing to the welfare and socio-economic improvements of millions of people around the world.
He said common issues highlighted at the summit as contributions and activities of members around the world, “were in food security, environmental issues, leadership and governance, livelihoods improvements and employment creations.”
Coming back home, he said one of the most common challenges highlighted throughout the summit most especially in African context was the lack of government support in subventing 4H activities.
Other countries that attended the summit included Senegal, Ghana, Tanzania, and Kenya.
