FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Amie Sillah
9 November 2009
WODD (Women for Democracy and Development) held its first congress in Wuli since it's inception in 2005. Its first project concentrated on Adult Literacy involving study circles in Greater Banjul and Wuli.
The second project concentrated on Civic Education, Health/ Nutrition Education and Skills Training for Economic Empowerment.
Up to date, 18 study circles have been covered, 14 in Wuli and 4 in the Greater Banjul and Western Region.
Earlier in the year, the urban area held its congress on the 23rd and 24th May, 2009. In attendance were 20 delegates from four study circles in Churchill Town, Sanyang, London Corner, Serekunda and Kafuta.
The Western Region/Greater Banjul Congress elected 9 Board Members; included are the Chairperson, Treasurer, Executive Secretary and 6 other members. Some executive members completed their one term and become honorary Members to give way to three other new members.
WODD is a democratic organisation. It has to practice what it preached for Transparency, Accountability and probity.
The Wuli congress is an extension of the whole congress. The Wuli Delegates joined the Western Region and Greater Banjul Delegates at the First Congress and all other events held in the urban area.
This time around, the Board plus our International Partners decided to decentralize the 2nd Congress and held it in Wuli itself.
Few Delegates used to come from Wuli to join us. But this time around more delegates attended the 2nd WODD Congress.
It was held on the 3rd and 4th of November 2009. The venue was at Nyakoi Kerewan at the Bantaba. 42 delegates from 14 study circles attended.
The study circles in attendance were Taibatou Study Circle, Kerewan Study Circle, Bani Study Circle, Limambulu Bambo Study Circle, Sutukonding Study Circle, Chamoi Bunda Study Circle, Barrow Kunda Study Circle, Madina Koto Study Circle, Touba Wuli Study Circle, Sare Donfo Study Circle, Limambulu Yamudou Study Circle, Bajonkoto Study Circle, Kollibantang Study Circle, and Kuwonkunding Study Circle.
Each of the Study Circles sent 3 delegates. Chamoi Bunda, Bajonkoto and Limambulu Yamudou sent some male delegates.
At Day one of Congress: After opening prayers and remarks by village elders and some opening educative entertainment songs, the Executive Secretary of WODD, Amie Sillah gave a lecture on sovereignty.
Salient Points:
-That we should all own ourselves;
-That there is no Monarch in Gambia;
-That the country is a Sovereign State,
-That power belongs to the people;
-That the Sovereignty of the Gambia resides in the people of the Gambia from whom all organs of government derive their authority and in whose name and for whose welfare and prosperity the powers of government are to be exercised in accordance with our Constitution, the Supreme Law of the land.
-That they exercise rights to put Representatives into office, and monitor and take part in the implementation of Policies and Programmes designed to promote their general welfare.
-That the Constitution gives them rights for protection from Birth to Death.
But all these rights can only be realised when they receive correct information to gain knowledge and enlightenment.
The lesson was well understood when they demonstrated the knowledge gained in a play form.
The play depicted how people are coaxed to sell their votes or later terrorized if they prove difficult.
The Voice of Enlightenment explains: "There is no need to fear. Listen to all voices that present themselves to you to be Elected and choose the one that best serves your interest".
There was education and entertainment.
More educative songs on Sovereignty, National Unity, Self Esteem and Integrity followed.
We Close For Day One
Day Two
After opening prayers, there was a lecture on WODD.
Its Mission Statement: A Civil Society Women's Rights Organisation, Non-profit, non Sectarian, politically pluralist in character, realizing that Gambia cannot be a genuinely, democratic country unless women become active partners in promoting National Development.
WODD's Vision: To see a Gambia genuinely developed where women and men work in partnership. The Study Circle gave their Reports. Women complained of High Interest Rates which increased their poverty level.
WODD devise a strategy. We have integrated small lucrative Economic Projects that thrive in their communities. It was an experiment which has turned out to be a success story.
The first group of 7 Study Circles received D5000.00 (five thousand dalasi) each from WODD.
The second group of 7 Study Circles received D6,000.00 (six thousand dalasi) each.
The women assembled for Civic, Health/Nutrition lectures in the afternoon. Some Board Members with skills offered them training on Tie and Dye, Soap Making, Bee Keeping and knitting. It depends on what the Study Circle wants to be trained on.
A new type of soap was shown to them. The soap is made from wheat flour.
All the 14 Study Circles plus the 4 Study Circles in Greater Banjul and Western Region can make the new type of soap. The soap is sold and the proceeds go to the Circle coffers. Individual members can also make it for self economic empowerment.
All the 14 Circles in Wuli made economic gain.
Some Circles like Taibatou, Kerewan and Sutukonding benefited from WODD's Adult literacy project. These women can read and write in Mandinka.
In fact, a lady from Sutukonding read a poem in Mandinka praising WODD's projects which have come to empower Gambian women. This lady has never gone to school.
Circles listed small and big projects that can take them out of poverty. Among the small projects listed are: Teaching Economic skill, Fertilizer purchase, seed purchase, buying farm implements, groundnut grinding machine. Big projects: Milling Machine, garden fencing, Groundnut Milling machine, Horse Cart, Well digging, etc.
We let them think big - the Audacity of Hope.
The most impressive Study Circle Sare Dunfo, a small settlement with only 6 compounds was among the list that received D6000.00 (six thousand dalasis). The Study Circle trade in coos and groundnuts and within a period of one year, the turn over became D30,000 (thirty thousand dalasis). Now they are even able to lend their male folk with a guarantee to pay back.
Rural women are hard working. With proper orientation and motivation, they can be inspired not to waste money but to put it back into productive use to come out of poverty.
We educate our Circle women to abhor wastage in ceremonies.
We made it a precondition that whoever loses will not benefit from any saved money or future self help project. So far, the tactic is working.
Wuli Congress is a big success. All philanthropists, international NGOs, Embassies and lovers of women Empowerment should invest in our Study Circles.
I donated 200 (two hundred dollars) to Churchill's Town Study Circle when I returned from Beijing plus 10 when the Topic was financing for Gender Equality.
The women group had some teething problems but they have now caught up and have made some gains. This should be the spirit - Women solidarity. Men as partners should also support women empowerment in cash or kind.
The Wuli Congress elected three dynamic women from Kerewan-Sambang Juwara, Kuwonkunding-Sanu Touray, and Lamambulu Bambo-Sunkary Jabbi.
They are now added to the 9 members that have already been elected as the New WODD Board whose term ends after three years. They can enjoy another three years but no more than 6 years. That is democracy at work, the new trend in the world.
A women CSO is practicing it 2009.
Wuli congress ends
The next congress will be held in the interior of Wuli in 2012.
WODD continues to create Study Circles as and when money is available.
Put your money where your heart is. You are all welcome.
Amie Sillah. Executive Secretary, Women for Democracy and Development.
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