Community Initiative Support (CIS), Friday held a one-day training on the effects of female genital mutilation (FGM) at the Wellingara Nursery School in Wellingara Village, Kombo North, West Coast Region. The training, which brought together 75 women, was facilitated by Gamcotrap.

Speaking at the event, Lamin Wally, chairman of CIS thanked the women for their turnout. He explained that CIS is a local and community-based organisation with the objective of providing quality and relevant early childhood education with access to good health services.

He also revealed that CIS provides a sponsorship package for the needy children. He added that CIS empowered 137 women through a micro-finance scheme in a bid to reduce the dependence ratio of women and to avail them with self-employability skills.

For her part, Mary Small of Gamcotrap said her organisation's community-based training programmes are targeted at women, men, the youth, children, community leaders, religious leaders and policymakers and they work in all the seven administrative regions of The Gambia.

She also disclosed that their objective is to create awareness on the effects of harmful traditional practices on the health of the girl child and women, in particular FGM, nutritional taboos, HIV and AIDS, early marriages and wife inheritance. She said they are also out to promote positive practices that empower female sexuality, and to sensitise decision-makers about socio-cultural practices that are harmful to the health of girl child.

Ya Gai Jobe, who spoke on behalf of the participants, applauded CIS for organising the training. She noted that it may take some time before the practice of FGM is totally eradicated as the practice is part of their culture and tradition which women have been observing for so many decades. The training, she continued, will provide relevant information on issues affecting the girl child and women.

Kaddy Touray, field coordinator of Gamcotrap, spoke on child rights and education.