This period began with the arrival of Philipp Kohler, ADA Volunteer from Germany. Philip and Sana Jatta, ADA's Program Officer, went straight to Nyakoi High School in the Upper River Region in Wuli District which is 236 miles east of Banjul They held seminars on democracy through soccer and the issues they discussed included good governance at both the community and national levels, accountability, self reliance,etc.
This period marked the sensitization in Wuli West and Wuli East Districts on the importance of self reliance. ADA youths, both girls and boys, were urged to work harder so that the organization can financially stand on its own feet, or at least fifty percent of its operating budget can be provided for by its members. In other words, members,particularly the youths, were sensitized to understand that ADA will only continue to succeed if they take more responsibility in order to reduce the organization's dependence on donors. In fact, donors will respect the organization more when they know that our members are working very hard in order to sustain programs and projects without having to depend one hundred percent on them. The youths were made to understand that ninety percent of registered organizations in The Gambia cannot survive financially without outside support.
The outcome of this sensitization led to the establishment of maize and coos farms in Wuli West and Wuli East. The ADA youths established these farms as income generating projects. By the end of this year, the success or failure of these projects will become known because December will be the end of the harvest season here.
April - June 2011
This period witnessed the beginning of the planting season on ADA's maize and coos farms in Wuli West and Wuli East Districts.
It also marked the arrival of Ms. Anna Arenz from Network of Volunteers(VOLNET) organization in Germany. Anna came to serve as volunteer for ADA, and she was attached to Sheikh Mass Kah Senior Secondary School in Bakau, where she taught ADA members Information Technology focusing on areas such as Introduction to Computers, Microsoft Word, Excel, Access,and Powerpoint. Anna also participated in sensitization meetings with ADA women groups in Serrekunda, Faji kunda, Tallinding,etc.
During this quarter, the ADA Secretariat received a delegation of students and their professor from Juniata College, USA. The delegation was led by Professor Emil Nagengast who also serves as ADA's Public Relations Manager in the USA. The college donated sewing machines and footballs to the communities and a ceremony was held in their honour.
ADA Activities Report 2010
January - March 2010
This first quarter's activities began with Ms. Laura Sager's Wolof Language Training. Laura was sent by Net Work of Volunteers (VOLNET) in Germany to serve as a volunteer for Alliance for Democracy in Africa(ADA) in The Gambia. In order to do her job better, Laura felt that she needed to know how to speak one of the major ethnic language in The Gambia, and in this regard she chose to study the Wolof Language. The late Ali Ceesay did a wonderful job in training Laura how to speak Wolof. The training program also included cross-cultural orientation which enabled Laura to live and work comfortably in a different cultural environment.
Radio Talk Shows on "The Role of Women in Nation Building","Illegal Migration to Europe","Democracy and Ethnicity", and "Freedom of Speech" were aired by The Gambia Radio. Knowledgeable Guest Speakers on the above issues were invited as Panelists,and their presentations were done in English and the three main ethnic languages in The Gambia, Mandinka,Pulaar and Wolof. Anyone with a radio in any part of the country had access to the radio talk show. During the question and answer sessions, calls were received from all over the country, and also came from as far as Guinea Bissau and Dakar in Senegal. The feedback received from the audience was that the program should continue because people found it very useful and educative.
During this phase, the late Ali Ceesay also conducted Facilitator Training for ten of ADA's Literacy Facilitators in Busumbala and Farato for a period of two weeks. In other words, this training was a Training of Trainers Workshop(TOT),and at the end of the workshop the Facilitators were deployed in ADA branches in order to teach women to read and write.
A Partnership agreement was established between ADA and Juniata College in Pennsylvania in USA. This agreement will address areas of mutual interest as will be seen in the next phases.
April - June 2010
The "Democracy Through Soccer Project" was established at Sheikh Mass Kah Senior Secondary School in Bakau and Nyakoi high School in Wulli West District in the Upper River Region of The Gambia. Soccer is the most popular activity for youth in The Gambia. Thus,the creation of female and male soccer teams in these schools and the soccer competitions they conducted generated much interest in ADA and, consequently, our membership continues to grow in these communities. Through the soccer project, students and their teachers also conducted civic education seminars on democracy, good governance, the rule of law, what constitutes good citizenship, etc.
Professor Emil Nagengast(ADA's Public Relations Manager for the U.S.), his students from Juniata College in USA and his son Otto Nagengast, ADA Youth Ambassador, also trained members in Information Technology focusing on Microsoft Word, Access, Excel,and Powerpoint. More than two hundred students at Sheikh Mass Kah Senior Seconday School benefitted from this training program.
Professor Nagengast, with the support of his wife Kati and Otto, established a Quizz Competition project for ADA's members at Sheikh Mass Kah Senior Secondary. Gambian newspapers were distributed among the students weekly for a period of six weeks. This project generated a lot of interest within the school community, and at the end of the Quiz Competition cash prices in addition to school supplies were given to students. Even those who did not win in the competition were given consolation prices in the form of computer chips, shoes, school bags, pens,etc.
This quarter also witnessed the establishment of a partnership between ADA and Rotherdam University of Applied Sciences, as well as Saxon University in Holland. In this partnership, these universities will send their students to assist ADA members in the areas of Information Technology Training, and ADA will guide and support their students in their research projects and any other activities relevant to their fields of studies.
July - December 2010
ADA activities during the last six months of 2010 were devoted to the intensive training of our members, in order to deepen the knowledge and skills they learned during the previous months. Through ADA's partnership with Rotherdam University of Applied Sciences as well as Saxon University in Holland, Mr. Barba Mackie came to The Gambia and successfully participated in our Information Technology Training Workshop. Mr. Mackie along with other trainers, trained one hundred and twenty girls and seventy boys in Information Technology focusing on introduction to computers, Powerpoint, Excel, file management, tables, and internet training. These individuals were new members who had no previous knowledge and experience with computers and the internet.
In addition, forty young adult women were also trained and they acquired skills in sewing, tie dye, soap making, and cloth weaving. These women in turn serve as trainers who train other women in their communities.
The Executive Committee members of ADA-The Gambia Chapter were also trained in the art of proposal writing. The ability to write good project proposals is an asset for the organization, especially as we move towards depending more on our own resources and skills for the development of our programs and projects. Several proposals were written and sent to various funding agencies.
Finally, in December 2010, the Democracy Through Soccer "Presentation Ceremony of Soccer Gear" was held at at Nyskoi High School, Wulli West District in the Upper River Region. The soccer gear was the generous gift of members Eliman Gibba and Alexandra Sianis who visited The Gambia during this period.
ADA Activities Report 2009
January - March 2009
Sensitization of new ADA branch members in Banjul South, Banjul North, Tallinding, Bundung Borehole, Bundung Central, Faji Kunda, Brusubi, Busumbala, and Farato: all within the Greater Banjul Area, on its mission and vision, importance for self reliance as opposed to excessive dependence on outside support, responsibilities individual members have to take to ensure success for the activities in their branches, evaluation of language training and income-generating activities in the branches. More transparency and accountability at the branch executive committee levels, involvement of branch executive committee members in making major decisions in their branches, the value of brainstorming exercises in making group decisions.
Monitoring of literacy classes in Tallinding and Kampasa
Intervention in a dispute between branch members and their facilitator, who was later dismissed by them
Planning of the Civic Education Program on "The Role of Youth in Nation-Building" with Mr. Bah, Principal of Sheikh Mass Kah Senior Secondary School
April - June 2009
Recruitment of more new members in the following branches: Brusubi, Brikama, Kampassa, Dutabulu, Jarumeh Koto, Sutukonding, Sutukoba, and Foday Kunda, and their orientation in the organization's mission, vision and values including the importance of self reliance
Training exercise for skills transfer in the areas of soap making, tie dye and batik, vegetable gardening, and rice cultivation were also conducted
Capacity development for ADA's administrative staff, which focused on office management, project planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluations
Launching of ADA branch at Paradise Suite Hotel
Meeting woman's group in Farato to plan further development
Opening of bank accounts for seven branches at Trust Bank, which are held and controlled by the women
Language and Cultural Orientation for Dr. Hulton, Swarthmore College, and Renata Uphelders, leading the NGO "Each One Teach One"
One Day Workshop at Sheikh Mass Kah SSS
July - September 2009
Workshop on "Report Writing" particularly focusing on project reports, which generally deal with project goals, objectives, successes and/or failures: Techniques used in writing reports that are concise, precise, and accurate
“Proposal Writing" workshop and its importance as a tool for fund raising: Technical writing skills on introduction, statement of the problem, objectives, methodology, evaluations, organizational capacity, budgeting, etc. were addressed. A project proposal on "Good Governance and Business are Essential Factors to Development" was written as a consequence of the workshop
Sensitization meeting with branches executives concerning "Membership Recruitment", which will go towards their facilitator's allowances
Meeting with Youth Wing Executive; opening of Youth Wing account
Meeting with National Assembly Members regarding the development of ADA activities, particularly literacy classes in their various constituencies
Meeting with women’s groups in Busumbala and Farato concerning their income generation activities
Farato, Faji Kunda, Bundung and Busumbala branches convene a sensitization meeting for their executives at Busumbala
Meetings with ADA branches in Banjul and Brushubi
October - December 2009
Arrival of ADA's Civic Education Program Coordinator, Laura Sager from Germany. As part of her orientation, Laura and Madi Touray, on behalf of ADA, paid courtesy calls to the following individuals and their organizations: Ambassador John P. Bojang (Chairman National Council for Civic Education), Mr. Famara Dampha and Alh. Musa Manneh (Gambia Radio and Television Services G.R.T.S.), Dr. Kujejatou Manneh (Country Director Actionaid International), Honorable Sulayman Joof (Chairman National Assembly Select Committee on Education and Training). Latest ADA Activities were shared with these individuals and plans for 2010 drawn
Regional meeting for ADA members in Farato and Busumbala branches was held in Busumbala: progress reports on their soap making income generating activity were discussed, as well as the recruitment of more new members and other fund-raising activities. Plans were set for the training of language teachers, who will begin teaching women to read and write as well as business skills in February 2010
Dr. Niklas Hultin and Madi Touray wrote two project proposals on Civic Education, and Professor Hultin secured funding from Swarthmore College (USA) for four radio talk shows on:
"The Role of Women in Nation Building"
"International Migration from South to North"
"Democracy and Ethnicity"
"Freedom of Speech"
Meeting with ADA Youth Executive
Meeting with Laura's Volunteers Organisation VolNet Germany in Brikama: the agreement to develop a MOU was made
