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.
