By Samsideen Ceesay
The 3rd edition of Entrepreneurs, Leadership and Information &Technology (ELIT) 2018 summer camp which is spearheaded by the Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN Gambia) on Wednesday concluded at the President International Award in Bakau, under the theme: Broadening Young Entrepreneurs’ Mindset on Value Addition.
The camp is supported by the P2RS, NYC and Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) and designed with special emphasis on the agricultural value chain, focusing on processing and marketing of crops and vegetable produce by young people especially those in rural areas as a model in the fight against poverty and unemployment.
In his welcoming remarks, the executive director, GYIN Gambia, Momodou Edrissa Njie, said: “At GYIN Gambia we don’t have any professionals or experts that design our projects and programs for us, our programs are initiated by the young people themselves.
“We have touched the lives of young people in rural areas. This year ELIT is a special camp simply because no absentees.”
Also speaking at the event, the business development officer from Nema project, Banki Njie noted that young people are the future leaders, building their capacity is crucial to the nation.
He said: “We have three projects under Nema umbrella that is NEMA itself supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); we also have P2RS project supported by the Africa Development Bank as well as a building resilient project supported by the Islamic Development Bank”.
He pointed out that the two projects, P2RS and the NEMA, have been supporting GYIN for many years through various forms.
Dr Amina Sillah, CEO, GYIN International based in Washington DC, said GYIN International doesn’t do for you, “we do with you.”
“It is not my job to hold your hand and tell what you want to do, it is your job to tell us what you want to do and we can see how to help you get what you want,” she added.
Certificates were given to participants at the end of the camp.
