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AAITG Newsletter April - June 2010
Rights to end poverty
Message from the Editor…………………………..1
AAITG Board of Directors Inaugurated and CSP III launched……………………..1
Activistas embark on the journey to end hunger…4
Successful Activista training in The Gambia…5
ActionAid conducts MESST Workshop………..6
Sponsorship staff receive training……………7
Story of change……………9
The Board of Directors of ActionAid
International The Gambia (AAITG)
and the agency‟s third Country
Strategy Paper, CSPIII (2008 - 2012)
were respectively inaugurated and
launched on Monday 9th August, at
a colourful ceremony at the Kairaba
Beach Hotel. The board, which
comprises experts from diverse fields
of study, was inaugurated by the
Minister of Finance Abdou Kolley on
behalf of the Gambian Head of
State, President Jammeh. The
Minister of Interior responsible for
NGO Affairs Ousman Sonko
launched the agency‟s third
Country Strategy Paper (CSPIII).
The inauguration of the board is a
major milestone towards AAITG‟s
internationalisation process which is
aimed at increasing the agency‟s
own accountability and legitimacy
In this Issue
1
ActionAid International The Gambia
Message from the
Editor
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the second
edition of the AAITG
newsletter, the highlight of
which is the inauguration of
our Board of Directors and
launching of the third
Country Strategy Paper,
CSPIII which are major
milestones in the history of
ActionAid International The
Gambia! The Board
comprises experts and
professionals from diverse
fields of study and
professionalism and was
inaugurated at a colourful
and well attended
Contd. on page 2
The Board of Directors of AAITG inaugurated and its CSPIII launched
AAITG Board members L-R Mr. Abdoulie Barry, Dr. Ahmed Tijan Jallow, Mrs. Naffie Barry, Mrs. Bintou Suso, Mrs. Amie Bensouda, Mrs. Janet Sallah-Njie, Mr. Baboucarr Buoy and Mrs. Ndey Secka
at both the national and
international levels in the fight
against poverty and injustice at all
levels.
AAITG Country Strategy Paper III
Contd. on page 2
Message from the Editor
Contd. from page 1
ceremony on August
9th at the Kairaba
Beach Hotel. AAI
International Director
for West and Central
Africa Tennyson
Williams was present to
provide guidance and
support as well as
Olutayo Olujide –
HROD Coordinator for
West and Central
Africa. AA Senegal‟s
Country Director Musa
Faal and AA Guinea
Bissau CBI Manager,
Carlos Rui Rubero
travelled all the way
from their respective
countries to lend moral
support. We have more
details inside.
Also in this edition, we
report on the Journey
To End Hunger. In
August, 500 young
adults embarked on a
2 kilometre walk to
raise awareness on the
one billion hungry
people in the world
today. The Journey to
End Hunger, which was
also held in other parts
of the world, follows a
successful sub-regional
Activista training at the
Gambia Pastoral
Institute in March 2010
sponsored by MS
ActionAid of Denmark.
We also have details of
the workshop on
photography, child
message collection
and communication
Contd. on page 3
AAITG Board of Directors of inaugurated…
Contd. from page 1
AAITG Staff and partners at the inauguration of the Board and
launching of CSP III
Activistas at the inauguration of the Board
At the launching ceremony, Abdou Kolley noted
The Gambia‟s un-relentless efforts to achieve
socio-economic advancement for all Gambians.
„It is a government that believes in genuine
partnership, such as that which we have found in
ActionAid, and which we believe would continue
to grow‟, he said. He expressed confidence that
with the board‟s experience and expertise, it
would be of great support in providing strategic
guidance to the organisation and its effective
governance.
Whilst launching CSPIII, Ousman Sonko
emphasised the importance of project
sustainability in the communities well after NGO
financing has elapsed. This, he said, requires
judicious pre-planning, effective resource
mobilisation and community participation.
Minister Sonko
therefore solicited the
continued
collaboration of all
NGOs especially
Mr. Abdou Colley, Minister of
Finance
Mr. Ousman Sonko, Minister of
Interior
ActionAid in
complementing
government‟s efforts
towards the fulfilment
of Vision 2020.
Soon after the
launching, the Chief
Executive Officer of
ActionAid International
Joanna Kerr made a
video call to the
meeting from her office
in Johannesburg.
Speaking on a large
screen placed in front
of the audience, she
noted that this was
Contd. on page 3
2
AAITG Board of Directors of inaugurated…
Contd. from page 2
more than creating a National Board. It was a way
of linking over fifty national organisations into a
federation. The CEO urged the Board to be mindful
of its legal and financial responsibilities and
emphasised the need for a clear understanding of
the constitution and ActionAid‟s new global
international strategy.
Mr. Tennyson Williams, AA International Director for
West and Central Africa was also in attendance
giving guidance and leadership to the process. „The
future of ActionAid International The Gambia now
rests on your shoulders‟, he told the board members.
He said that the Board is a reflection of our
connectedness with the communities, our honesty
and being accountable. He told members to work
together with the AAITG management to ensure
that the agency delivers on its mission and vision
and becomes an affiliate in the not too distant
future. In recent times, the number of hungry people
in the world has increased from 850 million to over 1
billion.
(L-R) Dr. Kujejatou Manneh AAITG Executive Director and Mr. Tennyson
Williams AAI International Director for West and Central Africa
ActionAid‟s Country Director Kujejatou Manneh in
her speech, challenged all development agencies
and governments in both developed and
developing countries to review intervention
strategies and to work together in the fight against
poverty and hunger.
The goodwill message delivered by the FAO
Resident Representative Dr. Babagana Ahmadu
highlighted AAITG‟s vast experience in areas of
interest to FAO, noting that FAO considers AAITG as
Message from the Editor
Contd. from page 2
organised by the
Sponsorship
Department, as well as
the MESST workshop
with the Global Fund
Round 8 partners.
We are confident that
you will enjoy reading
the articles and will
continue to be part of
the making of this
newsletter by sending
us your contributions
and feedback. Happy
reading!
one of its most crucial
partners in the
implementation of
community-based
programmes. „Our long
association with AAITG
has made it very clear
to us that AAITG is one
of the most
experienced, credible
and reliable CSOs in
this country‟, he
concluded. The
goodwill message from
the government came
from Momodou Mbye
Jabang from the
Ministry of Agriculture
who cited ActionAid‟s
support at the
continental, sub-
regional and national
levels. Mr. Jabang
made mention of the
agency‟s support in
the formulation of the
Agriculture and Natural
Resources policy, the
governments
participation in the
CAADP and the
formulation of the
ECOWAS Common
Agriculture policy. At
the field level, AAITG
has supported the
development of
women‟s horticultural
gardens, the
establishment of the
Packaging and
Marketing Centre in
Banjulunding and the
setting up of the Rice
Mill in Jaahally Madina
for rice farmers. Other
messages came from
Omar Satou Sallah of
Group Juboo
groundnut marketing
association in Fass,
Upper Saloum, Aja Mai
Bojang of Brufut
Women Horticultural
Garden and Ousman
Yarbo, Executive
Director of TANGO.
Mrs. Janet-Sallah Njie,
the newly elected
chairperson of the
Board on behalf of
board members,
thanked ActionAid
International The
Gambia for giving
them the opportunity
to contribute to the
development of the
country. She expressed
joy at the trust and
confidence bestowed
on them and promised
to live up to
expectation.
The ceremony was
attended by the
Secretrary to Cabinet
who was also
Contd. on page 4
3
AAITG Board of Directors of inaugurated…
Contd. from page 3
representing the President,
AAITG partners, representatives
from UN agencies, members of
the diplomatic corps, the
Secretrary to Cabinet, Members
of the National Assembly,
religious leaders and senior
government officials. The
occasion was punctuated with
songs and drama performances
from the re-knowned Kabakel
and Nyakoi cultural groups.
Kabakel Cultural Group
Later in the afternoon, the new
Board held its first meeting at
the Kairaba Beach Hotel and
were taken through AAI‟s
Internationalisation process and
milestones on Associate
progression by the Regional
HR/OD Coordinator Olutayo
Olujide. She also presided over
the election of key board
officials. Lawyer Janet Sallah-
Njie was unanimously elected
Chairperson and Dr. Ahmed
Tijan Jallow her deputy. The post
of Treasurer unanimously went
to Mr. Abdoulie Barry, Head of
Finance at the Medical
Research Council.
First meeting of the Board members
The Gambia joined the rest of
the world on Monday 9th August
2010 in commemorating
Journeys to End Hunger. The
event is held annually when
youth all over the world raise
their voices to global decision
makers and the lack of action
towards the fact that one billion
people go to sleep hungry every
day. In The Gambia more than
500 youth and children activists
took to the streets to raise
awareness through a carnival.
The Activistas walked for about
two kilometres from the Buffer
zone in Tallinding in the Kanifing
Municipality to Abuko Upper
Basic School in the Western
Region.
According to youth activist
Ousainou Jallow, „the carnival
was one of a kind with a lot of
young people in their red T-shirts
showing solidarity for the one
billion hungry people in the world
and at the same time raising
awareness for members of the
community to come out and
give their solutions to end
hunger‟.
There was a lot of fun and
excitement from the general
public and the Activistas as
they enjoyed music and a
display of a cultural
masquerade called hunting.
Two Activistas, Ebrima and
Siaka gave out powerful
messages in the local
languages while on board the
vehicle.
Later at the school lawn of
Abuko Upper Basic School,
there was a lot of entertainment
from drama troupes on the
theme UP WITH JUSTICE DOWN
WITH HUNGER. All participants
later converged at the school
basketball lawn to sign up to
end hunger. A symposium was
organised as part of the event.
One of the resource persons
Njaga Jawo from the National
Women Farmers Association
(NAWFA) dilated on women‟s
ownership and control over
land which was the main theme
for the 2008 cross country
caravan of the HungerFree
campaign organised by
ACTIONAID in collaboration
with the National
Contd. on page 5
4
Over 500 Activistas embark on the Journey to End hunger in The Gambia
Activistas displaying their banner during the journey to end hunger
5
Over 500 Activistas embark on the Journey to End hunger in The Gambia
Contd. from page 4
Alliance for food security. He
pointed out that women have
access to only 10% of the land
area in the Gambia and yet
they produce almost 70% of
what we eat. „You can imagine
that if women have more land
they will be able to feed the
whole of the country‟, he said.
Mr Buba Khan Food Rights
Manager of ActionAid
International The Gambia also
spoke at the occasion saying
that world leaders have made a
lot of promises that they are not
fulfilling and therefore the
young people have to remind
their leaders to fulfil those
promises. Mr Alhagie Kebbeh
Chairman of National Alliance
for Food Security spoke about
the responsibilities of Civil
Society Organisations who
should put pressure on
governments to put in the right
policies to combat food
insecurity.
The event was one of the
activities of a week-long
campaign against world hunger
and endemic poverty that
resulted from a regional training
seminar for Activistas held in
March 2010 at the Gambia
Pastoral Institute along Kairaba
Avenue.
Activastas displaying their messages
By Ousainou Jallow, AYCAH Coordinator By
In the buzzling city of
Serrekunda these days, young
people are sharing a hand sign
and joining voices in the slogan
Down with Hunger – Up with
Justice! The event that has
sparkled this energy and
change in the young activistas
is the Campaign and Leader
Training Seminar, a training
carried out by MS ActionAid
from 20th to 27th of March
2010.
The seminar, held at the
Gambia Pastoral Institute in
Kanifing, focused on promoting
skills in campaigning and
volunteer leadership among
West African youth from The
Gambia, Nigeria, and Sierra
Leone. From day one it was
clear that the participants from
all countries gladly adopted the
ways of learning that are
special for MS ActionAid: Non-
formal learning and
participatory methods, which
aim to include all participants in
shared learning processes.
The small African huts that made
out the class rooms were
covered with papers showing
common brainstorms and
shared ideas. Often you would
see the participants engaged in
vibrant discussions on
democracy, scarce resources,
and advocacy. As one of the
participants mentioned: “This is
so different from the boring
presentations that we normally
combine with seminars in West
Africa. In this way people get
involved and have to think on
their own”.
The seminar was officially
opened by Omar Badjie, Head
of Programmes at ActionAid
International The Gambia on
behalf of the Country Director. In
his address, Omar stated that
said youths face a lot of
challenges among which is their
little or no input in the decision-
making processes. He therefore
called for popular participation
among the youths on public
issues including the climate Contd. on page 6
Successful Activista training in The Gambia!
Participants at the training – from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Denmark and The Gambia
Successful Activista training in The
Gambia! Contd. from page 5
change debate.
According to Mr. Badjie,
the impact of the youth
would hopefully lead to
a reverse in these
disturbing situations.
“Commitment and
support will help us
attain the aims and
objectives‟, he
concluded. Alhagie
Kebbeh, Director of the
National Youth Alliance
for Food Security
(NAYAFS) and
international president of
AYCAH expressed similar
sentiments, noting that
this is a wake-up call to
youths to get
challenged in many
ways, especially on their
ability to act, reflect and
participate in processes
of campaigning and
youth leadership.
Simone Hagensen, a
representative from
Denmark, said they seek
to get to the core issues
responsible for the
causes of hunger in the
world, especially in the
developing countries,
the most affected by
hunger. She noted that
since the youths are the
future leaders, they will
help to develop skills in
planning and organizing
campaigns, volunteer
leadership, project
planning and
management,
communication,
mobilization of
volunteers and have
tools to work with
documentation and the
new media. The former
AYCAH Cordinator
Sanna Bah also spoke at
the ceremony.
During the week the
young Africans worked
together in teams to
plan and carry out
campaigns on world
hunger. The campaigns
were based on
workshops that the
participants attended,
focusing on
communication,
volunteer leadership
and campaign
planning. The learning
from the seminar was
used as input for real life
campaigns that took
place in The Gambia,
Nigeria, and Sierra
Leone. These real life
campaigns are part of a
global campaign,
Journeys to End Hunger.
Maria Spliid of MS
ActionAid, Denmark
contributed to this
article.
ActionAid International
The Gambia convened
a meeting of
programme
stakeholders in the
Global Fund Round 8
for HIV/AIDS in June to
access its grant with
the Monitoring and
Evaluation Systems
Strengthening Tool
(MESST) developed by
the Global Fund. The
meeting focussed on
identifying gaps in work
plans and update the
monitoring and
Evaluation (ME) plan. It
was held in
consultation with
program stakeholders
at the Jerma Beach
Hotel.
Addressing the
meeting, Dr Kujejatou
Manneh Jallow,
ActionAid Executive
Director reminded
participants of the
collective commitment
by all stakeholders to
halt and reverse the
prevalence of
HIV/AIDS from 2.8% to
2% by the year 2013.
According to her, this
requires a strong
monitoring system
both at PR and SR
levels. “The MESST is
not only a condition
precedent for the
second disbursement
of funds for grant
implementation, but
will also help us
achieve our targets as
planned,” she said.
„The achievement of
this lofty goal requires
our collective,
sustained and timely
efforts which cannot
be done without a
strong programme
monitoring and
evaluation systems
and structure‟, she
emphasised.
Earlier, Mr. Alieu
Jammeh, the Director
of the National Aids
Secretariat, NAS,
6
ActionAid Conducts Monitoring Evaluation Systems Strengthening workshop with The Global Fund
Round 8 Grant with Partners
AAITG staff and partners at the MESST workshop
MESST workshop with The Global Fund Round 8 …
Contd. from page 6
spoke of the three
ones principle: one
Coordinating body,
one Monitoring and
Evaluation system and
one Financing
Framework which he
said, is the basis of the
MESST. He therefore
urged all the Principal
and Sub-Recipients of
the Global Fund to
give the consultant
their undivided
attention.
Almost seventy
participants attended
the workshop which
was facilitated by an
international M+E
consultant based in
Freetown, Sierra
Leone, Dr. Saidou
Hangadoumbo.
For three days,
participants were
exposed to the MESST
tool which will enable
them to critically assess
the national M+E plan,
the data
management
capacities and data
reporting of all PRs and
SRs. At the end of the
workshop, participants
came up with a
costed action plan to
address the gaps
identified.
The revised action
Plan, the M&E plan
were submitted to The
Global Fund for
approval. Thus on the
16th August 2010 the
Global Fund, Fund
Portfolio manager for
West and Central
Africa, Ms Sonia
Eugenie Florisse gave
approval to the
document. She noted
that the M&E process
was well organised
and provided good
inputs to AAITG‟s M&E
plan which she says is
comprehensive and
captures the main
components of the
Global Fund
requirements.
Sponsorship Staff receive training on Photography, Child message
collection, Communications
Participants at the training
Community volunteers and coordinators of
ActionalAid International The Gambia on Friday
6th August 2010 concluded a week-long training
workshop in photography and managing
sponsorship communications at the Kunta Kinteh
Camp in Albreda in the North Bank Region.
The main focus of the training was on
photography but other areas such as child
message collection, the role of sponsorship in
AAITG and the importance of communications
were also covered. AAITG sponsorship staff
including those at the head office in Kanifing and
in the field attended the training which was
facilitated by Lamin Jallow of Susu Photo
laboratory.
Delivering his opening statement at the training,
Mr. Lamin Barro, Head of Sponsorship in Action Aid
International The Gambia told participants who
came from the three Development Areas (DA)
that the objective of the workshop was to improve
on what is being done at the DA and CP levels.
“What is needed in sponsorship is timely, quality
and accurate performance in photography,
messages collection and report writing, ″ said
Barro. He urged all to strive hard to meet the
standards set for sponsorship.
Mamie Ceesay the sponsorship coordinator at
Action Aid International The Gambia called on the Contd. on page 8
Participants at the MESST training
7
volunteers to take the work very seriously as their
work is a very important part of the whole
sponsorship. “If you do your message collection
well, with proper follow ups avoiding breaking up
of links, which is what is ideal,″ she said, “then
business will be okay with us.”
Also in attendance were Joana Mendy,
Sponsorship Officer for DA 9, Sutay Njie,
Sponsorship Coordinator for DA 8 and 11, and Mr.
Madi Ceesay, Sponsorship Communications
Manager.
Lamin Barro later dilated on the role of
sponsorship. He told participants that sponsorship
is all about fund raising. It provides all the regular
income for Action Aid International The Gambia
(AAITG). Sponsorship , he went on, enables
Action Aid (AA) programmes to make long term
plans .
Currently AAITG has over 9000 sponsors to service,
thus it is our responsibility to research, write and
send good messages and reports to these, Mr.
Barro said. He urged them all to live up to the
values of Action Aid.
Sponsorship Staff receive training on Photography, Child message collection, Communications
Contd. from page 7
Mamie Ceesay, the sponsorship coordinator told
the volunteers that a child‟s message is the most
important communication that a sponsor
receives from the relationship. Supporters are very
much interested in the children they support and
the community volunteers form part of the link
between the sponsors and the communities.
She told them that the message allows supporters
to develop their relationship with the child they
support. Child messages develop a healthy
relationship between the two, Mamie said.
She detailed the features of a child message
which she said should be legible, short and direct
to the point. Mamie reminded the field workers
that where a child‟s message is inadequate, the
volunteer‟s comments should complement.
Ms. Ceesay told the volunteers that they are
responsible for continuous sensitization of the
community members and parents before any
major sponsorship field activity eg, child message
Contd. on page 9
8
Cross session of participants
Sponsorship Staff receive training on Photography, Child message collection,
Communications
Contd. from page 8
collection. They should also
ensure they collect clear and
complete information about
those children who are
withdrawn or absent .
Madi Ceesay, the Sponsorship
Communications Manager
delivered a paper on the
importance of a good
communication. He told the
participants that good
communication is said to take
place, when a message is sent
from one point and is received
at another point and is
understood by all. He told
participants that every
communication must capture
the who, what, where, when,
why, and how.
They were advised to be simple
and direct to the point in their
message collections and when
making comments.
The lead trainer, Lamin Jallow
from the SUSU Photo Laboratory,
took the participants through
various parts of the camera
helping them to first know what
each part is used for. He told
them that it is important to first
know their camera, and always
check the battery and other
parts before shooting pictures.
The group was taken out to the
village for practical
photography, focusing mainly
on shots of landscape and
portraits. These were self
critiqued with suggestions and
professional input by Jallow. The
session ended with participants
all equipped with skills and
knowledge about the camera
and general photography. By Madi Ceesay, Sponsorship Communication Manager
9
Lamin Jallow, lead trainer presenting on photography
Story of Change
Women and Land: Tambasangsang Kambeng Kafo in the Upper River Region of The Gambia
Fanta Fatty, a farmer in URR
Fanta Fatty is a woman farmer
and belongs to an association
called Tambasangsang
Kambeng Kafo (One Voice
organisation of
Tambasangsang). The group
comprise 250 women, all of
them farmers, and is located in
the Upper River Region of The
Gambia.
Fanta and her group have
started farming activities on a
newly acquired piece of land.
The land was given to them
after members of the group met
with the regional Governor, the
Contd. on page 10
Story of Change Women and Land…
Contd. from page 9
district Chief and the Alkali of
the village to demand for their
right to own and control land.
This comes after many years of
advocacy and campaigns by
ActionAid The Gambia including
the HungerFree campaign.
In the Gambia, women
generally have access to
farmland but very few have
ownership and/or control,
particularly in the uplands. This
has increasingly become
important with women‟s
increased participation in the
production of upland cash
crops like groundnuts, sesame
and upland rice. The uplands
form the bulk of the farmland
area in the Gambia and are
almost all controlled by men.
Women are only allowed user
rights through marriage. Men
would always allocate land to
the women after they have
selected all the land they can
manage. The land allocated to
the women is often of poor
quality, very far away from their
homes and allocation is often
done late in the season.
Women farmers listening to speeches concerning their plight at a meeting in Brikamaba, Central River Region (CRR)
The latter is important because
the rains last for only three
months in the year. Thus it is
important to start early in order
to optimally benefit from the
short rainy season in terms of
increased production and
productivity.
The lack of ownership has also
made it difficult for women to
invest in improving the quality of
land as there are no guarantees
that the same land would be
available to them in subsequent
years. As a result, production
and productivity levels of
agricultural produce are low
and improved techniques of
production are poorly adopted.
In addition, markets and
marketing facilities are
inadequate, literacy levels are
low and there are poor resource
mobilisation and management
skills, leading to increased
poverty. With the newly acquired piece
of land, Fanta and her group
are planting rice, sesame and
maize. They plan to grow coos in
the coming year and fruit trees
like cashew, oranges, bananas,
and mangoes around the
garden to enhance food
production and productivity.
„We can use this land forever‟
says Fanta. „Our children, our
grand-children and even our
great grand- children can use
this land when we are no longer
around‟.
Despite the joy of the
Tambasangsang Kambeng Kafo
at the ownership and control
over the land, the group is
faced with a number of
challenges that need to be
addressed urgently. Currently,
there are no wells on the
farmland. Fanta and other
members of the group have to
fetch water from nearby farms.
This entails a lot of drudgery
because they have to draw
several bucketfuls of water each
day from far-away wells.
Moreover, the lack of a fence
around the farm means that
wild animals can stray in to eat
whatever is being grown,
leaving the women helpless and
devastated. If the drive towards
food security is to be taken
seriously, then the provision of
boreholes, fencing materials,
seeds, fertiliser, tractors and
power tillers cannot be more
urgent. „When we have
boreholes, fencing materials,
power tillers, seeds and all that
we need, we will show the
people that we can grow
enough to feed our families and
the people in the area. We can
pay for our children‟s fees,
clothe and educate them,
Fanta concludes.
Women farmers in CRR and LRR
10
0
11
0
AAITG BOARD MEMBERS
Mrs. Janet Sallah-Njie Chairperson
Dr. Ahmed Tijan Jallow
Vice Chairperson
Mrs. Naffie Barry
Mr. Abdoulie Barry
Treasurer
Mrs. Amie Bensouda
Mr. Baboucarr Buoy
Mrs. Bintou Suso
Mr. Dominic Mendy
Mrs. Oley Dibba
Mrs. Aji Haddy Saine
Mrs. Ndey Secka
ActionAid International The Gambia PMB 450 Serrekunda Tel: 4392004 / 4392244 / Fax: (220) 4392425
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
EDITORIAL BOARD: Jainaba Nyang-Njie
Kebba Sima
Omar Badji
Momodou Wuri Jallow
Kadijatou Jallow
Almamo Barrow
Mohamed L Touray