Pro-Hope International-The Gambia, an NGO with a strong focus on women empowerment and Reproductive Health, recently organized a five-day training workshop on gender sensitivity for various organisations in The Gambia.

The workshop, held at TANGO Office, with financial support provided under the auspices of African Women’s Development Fund, has served as a vital forum for exposing participants to extremely significant issues revolving around gender and Reproductive Health.

Dr. Chidi Nweneka, Technical Adviser of Pro-Hope International, in his remarks on the occasion, highlighted that the aim and objective of Pro-Hope International is to significantly help in raising awareness on gender-based violence in Africa. This, he added, is done through the engagement of policy makers, youths, religious and opinion leaders, rehabilitation of victims of gender-driven violence, among many others.

Dr. Nweneka pointed out that his organization is working collaboratively with a number of women’s groups, boosting the economic status of women and enhancing their economic independence as well as to help in preventing and stemming various forms of abuse through education and sensitization.

“I have a firm belief and of a strong conviction that no woman should be made to suffer simply because you’re a woman,” he concluded.

Also speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kebba K. Barrow, the Programme Officer of TANGO, underlined that women’s role in stimulating and sustaining positive development in any nation-state cannot be overemphasized. He outlined the various sectors of development endeavours that women are engaged in, citing inter alia agriculture and horticulture.

According to KKB, cognizant of the immense and sterling contributions of women in stirring positive growth, they [women] need to be empowered through skills training ,literacy and other key areas of their empowerment.

The Programme Officer of Pro-Hope International, Ms. Sira Bah, described women as significant and indispensable forces in fostering development, highlighting their active participation to development efforts. Women, she went on, should be a blessing and not a curse as they are key movers of a nation.
“Women, especially rural women-folk, are therefore yearning and looking forward to a day when they would be truly empowered,” she stated.

Other speakers on the occasion include Mr. Ousainou S. Loum, Chairman, Board of Trustees of Pro-Hope International.