International Social Workers Day (ISWD) is globally celebrated annually on the third Tuesday of every March, as declared by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW).

However, the Gambia has not been joining the rest of the world in celebrating this important day due to the fact that there was no social workers association in the country until 2007 when The Association of Social Workers in The Gambia (TASWIG) was formed.

The students of the SOS Social Work Certificate Program and Diploma Students at the University of The Gambia were the initiators of TASWIG and last Tuesday celebrated the International Social Workers Day in a form of lectures at the Girls Guides Association head office along MDI Road, Kanifing on the theme “Social work making a world of difference”.

Yahya Muhammed Bah, a lecturer at the University of The Gambia said social work is a changing agent of society with its primary function of addressing the existing social problems so that people can live in productive life. Professor Cynthia, also a lecturer at UTG observed that one of the unique achievements of the Gambia is that it is the only country in the West African region that provides social work programs in English version. Social work, she added, is to help people to make their “ends meet” on social needs. She urged the celebrants to work with integrity so as to meet their intended pursuits, reminding them that dignity and respect cannot be demanded but can only be achieved.

Dr Lamin Sidibeh of the University of The Gambia also underscored that if social problems can be addressed, then the physical and psychiatrist problems will also drastically drop. He informed the students that their role is to address matters affecting society.

To become good social worker, Dr Sidibeh told the students that they need to be adequately trained. Fanta Bai Secka, director of Social Welfare urged TASWIG members not to compromise with the ethical integrity of the society. She added that there are principle values and ethics in societies that are supposed not to be compromised as a social worker. “Therefore, the challenges lying ahead of you are bit risky, as you will be interferring in crises involving elders and dignified people” she told the gathering.

Secka also reminded the gathering that as social workers in the public sector, they are there to serve the wellbeing of the people, saying, ‘where social justice and integrity are lacking, there is a failure’.  theme “Social work making a world of difference”.She finally urged the students to take up bold and unshaken measures in order to tackle the challenges of social services. Basamba Drammeh, association member of TASWIG gave the vote of thanks.