Kansala Youth Trust, a district-based association established in 2005, recently held a two-day forum to review their programme for 2007.

The congress was held in Bwiam in conjunction with Dinding Bantaba, a CCF-affiliated association.

Kansala Youth Trust has a council of 21 people, a congress of 84 members with the President of the Republic as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The primary goal of the trust is to enhance positive growth in the sectors of agriculture, health, environment, tourism and local income generation.

Speaking in a ceremony organised to declare the congress open, Secretary of State for Fisheries and Natural Resources, Hon. Yankuba Touray, highlighted the role of Government in the provision of key services such as education, health and security for the realization of the noble objective of poverty alleviation.

Hon. Touray pointed out that the Government of The Gambia has made, and continues to make, giant leaps forward in designing best policy and strategic policy directions for the attainment of the overall objective of poverty reduction. This, he went on, could be amply demonstrated in the dispensation’s efforts in establishing SDF, IBAS, village VISACAs and other micro-finance institutions.

He acknowledged the role of youth in stimulating positive growth saying youths are synonymous with development.

The congress was attended by a cross-section of youths of Kansala from Bintang to Berefet and National Assembly Members Matarr Kujabi, Solo Jammeh and Alaji Sillah.

Meanwhile, Kansala Youth Trust was conceived by the incumbent National Assembly Member for Foni Kansala, Hon. Sheriff Abba Sanyang in 2005.