Better Africa Youth Initiative (BAYI) is a youth organization dedicated to the empowerment and development of youths in the Gambia and Africa as a whole. The organization encourages African young people to utilize their God-giving talents and energy, as well as exercises their intellectual faculties by creating environments, events and activities that cultivate leadership and support positive choices and self-development.  

In this regard, BAYI in collaboration with its US partner organization Institute of Domestic and International Affairs (IDIA) yesterday began a three-day leadership training program for 150 students from 11 schools in the country.

Speaking to journalists shortly before the commencement of the program at The Gambia Senior Secondary School Mr. Akeem Aremu, Director of programs BAYI, said that the aim of the training is, among other things, to empower students with leadership skills, public speaking skills, skills development and health awareness. “At BAYI we are trying to encourage and support youths to become better future leaders” he said.

For his part, Mr. Michael E. Hinchliffe, Executive Director of IDIA believes in giving youths the opportunities to really grow comfortably, develop ideas and have confidence in themselves. He said this is the second time they have organized this kind of training for Gambian students and intend to do it next year as well. He added that they organize similar conferences back in the US. “We firmly believed that young people should have the opportunity to decide their own future” he noted. He encouraged the participants to take the course seriously.