GYIN GAMBIA CELEBRATES GLOBAL YOUTH DAY, LAUNCHES ‘I AM A GYINER’ CAMPAIGN

The Global Youth Action Network (GYIN) last week held a forum at the Voice Newspaper in Serrekunda to celebrate Global Youth Day and launch a campaign dubbed ‘I am a GYINer” aimed at releasing the potentials of young people.

Speaking on the occasion, Modou Joof, communications officer of GYIN, said the network was launched in 2011 by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in partnership with Phelps Stokes - a US-based non-profit organization.

He reiterated the importance of the launching, saying “the central event of each ‘I am a GYINer’ national campaign is a business-oriented competition, which has two categories: best cultural product and best socially conscious business”.

The best socially conscious business seeks an existing business that exemplifies the belief that businesses should respect and enrich their communities and environments, while the other seeks a service or product that exemplifies the country’s culture or locally available resources, explained Mamadou Edrissa Njie, GYIN national coordinator.

He called on the youth to be part of the campaign, saying they can only “truly become contributing and economically successful members of the community with recognition and support from established organizations”.

Meita Touray, GYIN Gambia’s secretary general, underscores the importance of celebrating International Youth Day, saying it is a day to develop and engage in partnership with the youth.

Young people continue to face global challenges that are stemmed from economic hardship, marginalization and unemployment, she said.