Rojalnu-Gambia trains youth on SRH

By Samsideen Ceesay Rojalnu Gambia-Pan African Youth Leadership Network over the weekend wrapped up a three-day in-house training for 30 young people at the KMC chambers hall. The day’s intensive training, according to the organisers is meant to introduce the participants to sexual & reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, SDGs, Family Planning and Rojalnu Concept. Speaking at the event, the president Rojalnu-Gambia Tenneng Gitteh said her network is a continental network that seeks to empower young people for developmental purposes. “The network is supported by the UNFPA and UNAIDS. With 2017 being the year of demographic dividend we hope to harness the demographic dividend by looking into issues that are affecting the progress of the young people”, she said. She continued: “We created a three (3) year strategy which involves several issues ranging from empowering our members with the most needed knowledge and capacity to communicate effectively to the rest of the Gambian populace especially on issues regarding health, STGs and the demographic dividend. “We hope at the end of the training members of Rojalnu will be able to communicate effectively to the rest of the populace”, she added. Alagie Jarju, programme officer, NYC said: “We are glad as a country to have an existence chapter, strong and viable that we can be proud of as a council. It is quite important that there is In-house training for the membership and we are all at the same level as what kind of messages we are sending out to the public. “If an advocate goes out publicly sending wrong messages that is very dangerous advocacy”. Meanwhile the senior program officer Gambia Family Planning Association Omar Njie, said: “Harnessing the demographic dividend and family planning goes together. If all of us want to seat at the office, trust me the demographic dividend cannot be harnessed”. “If harnessing the demographic dividend is going to be a reality then Family planning should be in the hearts of the agenda. If you want to convince me you have to tell me things I don’t know and also give me facts,” he said. The representative of the Kanifing Mayor, Haddijatou Dumbuya said KMYC and KMC recognize the significance of the training, before assuring them of the mayor’s full backing.]]>