By Ramatoulie Jawo
The international Trade Center and its partners on Friday, November 18, 2022 closed the “Tekki Fii” Project and launched in its stead the National Employment Policy and Action Plan (2022-2026) at a local hotel in Kololi.
The make it in the Gambian project, colloquially referred to as Tekki fii, is a project that aims to improve economic development and future prospects for Gambians youth including returning migrants by promoting attractive employment and income opportunities for them within the communities they live.
Tekki-Fii was launched in 2019 by The Gambia Government with financial support from the European Union (EU). The project implemented by ITC, IMVF, and ENABLE, educate and train young people in skills trades and other entrepreneurial activities within the country to create employment for themselves and avenues of employment for other youths.
Moreover, the objective is to support the government to boost economic development with focus on generating training entrepreneurship, employment and access to finance opportunities for Gambians.
Speaking at the event, his Excellency, President Adama Barrow, said the two events complements each other, with the Policy providing long-term solutions to the challenges that the TEKKI FII intervention sought to address in the short term. In view of the positive results of the TEKKI FII Programme, they are pivoting to the long-term planning phase to achieve full employment for enterprising Youths within the country.
“There is no doubt that we have made important gains since 2017, and the results of the Tekki Fii Programme clearly manifest this. The stories and results associated with it are indeed inspiring. Among other things, they give us renewed hope and strengthen our faith in the youth and the nation“ he said.
President Barrow, added that It is remarkable that, through the Tekki Fii Programme, they were able to create and sustained more than nine thousand (9000) jobs, enabled more than seven thousand (7000) young Gambians to undergo skills training, and worked with close to five thousand (5000) small businesses.
“These results are offshoots of my government’s youth-centered and private sector-led growth agenda. They reflect our drive to invest in the marketable skills of young Gambians, foster a culture of entrepreneurship, innovation and self-employment, boost the growth of small businesses, and add value to Gambian products and services,” He stated.
The president highlighted that the Overall Policy target is to create one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) jobs over a period of five years.
“I also count on all Gambians to rally behind this agenda together. Let us work with our institutions and businesses across all sectors to transform it into reality”,
Joato Martins, Tekki Fii project coordinator, said The Tekki Fii campaign is a movement by Gambians, for Gambians. It’s about helping young people in the country to see the benefits of choosing to ‘make it’ at home rather than risk all that they have to seek opportunities in Europe through irregular migration.
She added that through this campaign, the government worked with the business community, youth groups and development partners to show young people, especially those most vulnerable to migration, that they can not only survive but thrive in The Gambia.
Dorothy Tembo, the Deputy Director of International Trade Center said their investment in the area of skills training have certainly helped create jobs and increase income and also increase the Make it in the country as better be prepared to be more resilience to any future shocks
She said the Tekki Fii project was able to unlock opportunities to thousands of young Gambians who are benefiting directly or indirectly.
“The ITC will remain committed and stand ready to support the implementation of the National Employment Policy and Action Plans (2022-2026),” She said.
Speaking at the event, the EU ambassador to the Gambia, Corrado Pampaloni said Tekki Fii’ have shape precarious futures and improve the economic development and future prospects of young Gambians.
Honorable Bakary Y. Badjie, Minister of Youth and Sports, recalling the importance attached to youth in the National Development Plan, challenged the Gambian youth to actively participate in the development of the country and in building their own future by making the best use of the available opportunities. In this context, he thanked the ITC and their partners in the project for the empowerment of the young people.
Saffiatou Kandeh, a beneficiary of the project, who is in animal rearing, said she started her business in 2019 with four animals and in 2020 she received a grant from IMVA program which supported her to increase her animals from four to twenty-something animals.
“The Tikki Fii project have changed my life drastically because I was able to increase my business. I have self-reliance, self-independent, and I was also able to create a job for one individual. My sales have also increased last year from two husband fifty thousand to three hundred thousand which I was able to have 12℅ profit “she disclosed.
Fatou Juka Darboe, Director and Co-founder of Make3D Company Limited who is also a beneficiary, said with Tekki Fii over 60 Gambian youths were directly impacted by 3D printing innovations and hundreds indirectly.
According to Juka, Make3D manufacturing capacity and Gambian team has increased over 4 times in the last year.