By MUHAMMED S. BAH
The Executive Director of GYIN-Gambia Mamadou Edrisa Njie, has been declared winner of the ‘Youth of the Year 2017 Award,’ Tuesday August 14th 2018. The award seeks to recognize the efforts of youth and celebrate their invaluable contributions towards national development, and is conferred on any youth whose efforts are recognized in this domain, by The Stone Circle, a youth-focused online media. The award is in commemoration of International Youth Day.
The Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of The Stone Circle Saikou Suwareh Jabai, said the annual award recognizes and encourages young Gambians who continue to achieve and make outstanding contributions to national development. “Not all those who strive, succeed. The ‘Youth of the Year’ award does not only acknowledge success. It recognizes other qualities such as ability, struggle, effort, commitment and, above all, excellence in service,” Jabai said; that the award is based on editorial judgment and it takes the past twelve months under-review. He said three candidates were nominated and Mamadou Edrisa Njie won with a majority of the votes. He described Njie as a passionate youth worker who has done tremendously well especially in the area of rural youth empowerment.
“Young people like Njie, need to be encouraged to keep going above and beyond,” he said.
The Managing Director of The Stone Circle Ebrima Darboe, congratulates the ‘Youth of the Year’, saying the award speaks volumes about Njie’s selfless service to young people of The Gambia.
“Nothing makes hard work feel more well-earned, than acknowledgement,” he said.
Darboe said every day, young people set spectacular goals, and that achievements are being reached; that there is no better way to reward these achievements than giving out such prestigious awards.
Reacting to the news of his award, Mamadou Edrisa Njie expressed delight. “I am honored to be the ‘Youth of the Year’. This award is a manifestation of the work that I am doing, in the service of national development,” award-winning Njie said, and dedicated the award to his mentor, Moses Abukari, the former IFAD Country Programme Manager for West and Central Africa.
