By Nelson Manneh
With an eye on empowering young Gambians through innovation and entrepreneurship, the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) on Thursday launched a three-day enterprise development training for fifty youths from the Methodist Church The Gambia.
Held at the NACCUG Training Centre, the initiative aims to equip participants with practical skills and business insights to harness opportunities within the country while fostering new ideas that can improve livelihoods and foster self-reliance.
Speaking at the opening, Kodou Gaye Senghore, GIEPA’s Director of Corporate Affairs, underscored the role of enterprise development in tackling unemployment and enhancing income generation. “Entrepreneurship and skills are the new frontiers for youth development,” she said. “Skills training not only enables individuals to sustain themselves but also prepares them to be independent and resilient in the face of life’s challenges.”
Madi Kambai, Director of Small and Medium Enterprise Development at GIEPA, commended the participants for their commitment and assured them of GIEPA’s continued support. He emphasized the agency’s role in offering technical assistance, access to finance, product development, and marketing linkages. “There are many opportunities in The Gambia that young people can tap into instead of risking their lives on the back-way journey,” Kambai said.
Delivering the keynote address, Bishop Bannie Manga, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church The Gambia, urged the youth to embrace the theme of Liberation. He encouraged them to liberate themselves from the grip of poverty and unemployment by taking such training opportunities seriously.
“Youths should never look down on any legitimate business venture,” Bishop Manga said. “What some may disregard, others from abroad often turn into thriving enterprises. Always remember—what you earn through your own effort, no matter how little, holds more value than what is freely given.”
The training, part of GIEPA’s broader youth empowerment efforts, continues through the weekend with sessions on innovation, business planning, and market readiness.
