Source: allAfrica.com
Feb. 1, 2012
By Yunus Saliu
Creating ways for prospect, making use of available materials without reducing the availability of resources and imparting knowledge and experience on people are all parts of sustainable tourism.
This is one thing that the Foundation Humanitarian Aid Gambia a non-governmental organization established in 1994 is doing in the Gambia communities. One of their latest projects is women empowerment project.
The Pondingto Women's Development Association in Yundum is the latest member to benefit from one of their twenty-two ongoing projects in the Gambia as they receives some craft work materials and currently undergoing training in craft works that will meet up to the standard of the western tourists demand visiting the Gambia.
This training is important to this women's association hence tourists always need latest items each time they visit any available craft stall in the craft markets. And the main aim of the project is to increase the association output through training, capacity building, assistance both monetarily, exposure and marketing of their products. This has been put into manifestation has the sponsored of the project already put some thousand of dalasis and donation of materials towards the training of the group.
However, the facilitator of this program Jainaba Gaye, General Manager of Dalaba Residence, Kololi, has urged the over 25 group members of Pondingto Women's Development Association to take the project very serious because Arthur Aalst and the board chairman of Foundation Humanitarian Aid Gambia and his wife, Ellen are a benevolent pupils that wish to do more for the group if they show their commitment and readiness towards the project. It is very obvious that this group would really gained from this project hence the board chairman of Foundation Humanitarian Aid Gambia is not a new person on board when it comes to achievement, good result and sponsoring project.
According to her, Association of Small Scale Enterprise in Tourism (ASSET) is a good partner when it come to marketing their members product "this is one of the reasons you have to know that if you take the project serious sky is going to be the limit because the Foundation Humanitarian Aid Gambia is there to do their part, in term of funding, training and other thing you need, but all they need from you is the commitment," she said.
Badou Bob of ASSET, in his words encouraged the group to take the project serious as it is going to benefit them at the end of the training, but not the sponsor. "Hard-work should be your watch-dog because it is not easy to start a project and get a sponsor, hence you got one especially from Foundation Humanitarian Aid Gambia, you need to be hardworking, make the foundation proud as this will be an opener," Badou said.
The trainer, Isatou Ceesay of Njau Recycling plastic Bag Products, a woman's co-op, who is in charge of the training urged the trainees to keep to the time and be serious if they really want to achieve to meet up the demand in the tourism sector "this is a new project and the products are all unique and dynamic and to get the best as to encourage the sponsor and make it a sustainable project all hands must be on work and engage," she advised.
Arthur Aalst, prior the donation, said the commitment from the group would encourage him to extend the project not only on craftwork but some other areas that will benefit them. "This items were sponsored from Holland and sponsors want good and positive results. If the project goes on well this group will be extended because more opportunity will follow because the money is there, materials and supports.
