Newton Village in the Koya Rural District has benefited from a Le46million non- functional literacy center and a water well.
The center was built for the community by GTZ for the promotion of Development capacity of youths and young adults through non- formal education.
Explaining to the people how the completion of the project came about, the team leader of GTZ, Christian Hagedon said it was a year ago when he passed through Newton that his eye caught an unfinished structure and when he enquired about it, he was informed that the structure was a supposed site for a youth center that was abandoned.
Mr Hagedon further stated that the unfinished structure was thought of with a project developed by the Education Ministry and the Development Ministry for the construction of a literacy center. The center he went on was going to be used not only as a learning center but as an income generating center for youths. “This center is going to benefit a lot of people to be self employed and self sufficient as the environment too could be used for agricultural purposes”
The newly elected District Chairman of Waterloo council, Alhassan Cole spoke of the purpose of the center whilst thanking GTZ for funding the project. He called on the community to fully utilize the center in such a way that it could be beneficial to all in the community. He therefore stressed for the monitoring of the activities of the center.
The Village Management committee chairman, Mohamed Kosi and the Section chief, Pa Alimamy Momoh Sesay expressed their grateful thanks to GTZ for their intervention in making the youths self reliant.
The Member of Parliament (MP) representing the area, Hon Claude B.M Kamanda of APC said since he became an MP,14 historic events have taken place in his constituency which have benefited many people. One such he mentioned was the GTZ, KFW project which rehabilitated the lorry park.
Mr Kamanda stressed that the rural youths were the poorest in the country but with the intervention of GTZ in self help project, poverty was going to be eradicated. He too urged the community to fully utilize the center.
Opening the training center, Mrs Olive Musa Director, non-formal education, ministry of education commended the activities of GTZ in education and also their valuable contribution to eradicate illiteracy.
She explained that the high illiteracy rate in the country was not good for the development of the country and that the intervention of GTZ was timely in complementing the efforts of the education ministry. “ The education ministry commends GTZ for realizing the skills of the youths in Newton as the center will stand as a testimony and a practical work of GTZ with support from the government” she said
She called on the youths to be mindful of the resources spent on the center calling on them also to realize that self development was the best way to develop oneself.
Certificates were later presented to the facilitators who were trained as trainers for seven weeks whilst the learning materials were also presented to them for the center.
By Ishmael Bayoh
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