04/06/2026
Sixty-eight students at Kinderdorf Bottrop Technical Senior Secondary School have been selected from thousands of applicants for a pilot youth empowerment programme aimed at equipping young people with practical skills for the future.
During a forum organised by Join Hands to Save a Baby as part of the initiative, students were encouraged to believe in themselves, embrace entrepreneurship, agriculture and vocational training, and use what they learn to make a difference in their communities.
The event formed part of a pilot youth empowerment and vocational skills initiative aimed at equipping young people with practical skills and preparing them to become agents of change in their communities.
Chief Executive Officer of Join Hands to Save a Baby, Amie Jarjue, shared her personal journey from hardship to humanitarian leadership, recounting experiences of hunger, leaking roofs and limited access to healthcare. She described herself as “just an ordinary person like yourself”, saying her achievements were built through resilience and determination rather than privilege.
“I was one of the children that would go to bed without eating,” she told students, urging them to believe in their potential and look beyond traditional office jobs. She highlighted plans to provide training in entrepreneurship, agriculture and youth development, with the goal of helping young people acquire practical, income-generating skills.
Principal Jalimori Jobarteh stressed that national development depends on a skilled and productive population, not solely on government employment. He pointed to agriculture and technical trades as important pathways to economic independence, describing agriculture as one of the country’s most promising sectors.
“We have to prepare our retirement now and go back to the land,” he said.
Only 68 students were selected from thousands of applicants to participate in the pilot programme. Both speakers challenged the participants to share what they learn with their peers and serve as role models within their communities.
The forum concluded with a strong message on self-reliance, entrepreneurship and skills development, with organisers hoping the initiative will help nurture a new generation of community leaders and job creators in The Gambia.
Story by Dawda Baldeh of TFN