By Aisha Tamba
The ‘Tekki fii’ roadshow campaign has reached Basse to encourage young people to tap into opportunities and believe that greener pastures do exist in The Gambia.
The roadshow, which is traveling with a message – young people, it’s worth making a living in The Gambia – to all five regions of the country, will run from 31 March to 5 April, stopping at different locations to host intergenerational talks, skills orientation sessions on entrepreneurship, solar installation, construction, creative industries, agribusiness and more.
The goal is to enable young people see the benefits of choosing to ‘Make It Here’ – or Tekki Fii in Wolof – by tapping economic opportunities in the country rather than going abroad through the perilous irregular migration.
The Youth Empowerment Project, Yep, with the government of the Gambia are organising the roadshow.
Yep communications officer, Abdoulie Badjie, said the roadshow is necessary to help change the perception of young people about Europe and greener pastures.
Muhammad Ceesay, a youth rep, told his peers: “I always use myself as an example. I have a business which is sustaining my family.
So why can’t we make it in The Gambia? I urge all the youths that are present here to have the belief that they can make it here in The Gambia.”
Bassa Area Council chairman, Foday Danju, said the day marks an important day in attempts to empower youths of URR.
Damba Fuah, a solar panel technician, asked young people to look up to him as a symbol of success in The Gambia.
“Tekki fii is something that people should be hungry about because of the opportunities it brings,” he said. “I am 22 years of age and I make 7, 000 per contract. If I am able to do it, able to make a living here, I think we can all do it in The Gambia.”
The roadshow will conclude with an official launch event of the Tekki Fii campaign at the Gambia Trade Fair International on 7 April, with a keynote address by President Adama Barrow.
