22/06/2026
YIL-Network Gambia Chapter Convenes Third Edition Teens Seminar, Advancing Global Dialogue on Social Media, Youth Mental Health, and Academic Integrity
In a landmark demonstration of grassroots multilateralism, Yil Network Gambia Chapter Convened six schools across it Region 2 East of The Gambia in an inter-scholastic forum aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Africa Agenda 2030, and UNEP’s global agenda on environmental education and digital responsibility.
SIBANOR, THE GAMBIA, Youth International Leadership Institute, YIL-Network a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) accredited civil society organization with Observer Status to the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), on Friday, 19 June 2026, successfully convened the third edition of its Teens Seminar at Sibanor Upper Basic School, Region 2 East, Republic of The Gambia. The event, attended by students, educators, community leaders, and officials of the Regional Education Directorate 2 East, represented a significant contribution to the global discourse on the digital wellbeing of young people in the Global South.
Organized under the theme “The Impact of Social Media on Teen Mental Health and Academic Performance,” the seminar reflects YIL-Network’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). As digital connectivity accelerates across sub-Saharan Africa, the imperative to equip young people with critical digital literacy and mental health resilience has never been greater. This seminar placed youth at the center of that conversation.
YIL-Network’s recently granted Observer Status to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) the world’s highest-level decision-making body on environmental issues positions the organization as a credible non governmental organization, civil society actor at the nexus of youth development, environmental sustainability, and global governance. The Teens Seminar embodies this mandate at the community level: translating international frameworks into actionable, youth-led programs that generate measurable social impact.
The seminar further operationalizes YIL-Network’s decade-long commitment to bridging the gap between global policy and grassroots youth empowerment across Africa a commitment recognized by the UN system and international development partners.
Six schools from the Region 2 East sub-region participated in the third edition, reflecting the programme’s growing reach and credibility among educational institutions in The Gambia:
▪ Arangallen Basic Cycle School
▪ Kappa Upper Basic School
▪ Tamba K***a Basic Cycle School
▪ Bintang Bolong Basic Cycle School
▪ Somita Upper Basic School
▪ Sibanor Upper Basic School (Host Institution)
Students competed in four intellectually rigorous categories Drama, Spelling Bee, Quiz Competition, and Poetry, each designed to cultivate critical thinking, eloquence, and thematic engagement with the nexus of digital technology and youth wellbeing. The multi-disciplinary format mirrors international model UN and youth forum structures, preparing participants for engagement on the global stage.
The Teens Seminar is more than a competition
it is a structured civic education forum designed to cultivate the next generation of informed, articulate, and empowered digital citizens. At a time when the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have raised urgent alarms about the mental health consequences of unregulated social media use among adolescents globally, YIL-Network’s programmatic response at the community level demonstrates the critical role that accredited civil society organizations play in localizing global health and education mandates.
The engagement of the Regional Education Directorate 2 East underscores the growing institutional recognition of YIL-Network as a strategic partner in national education delivery and youth policy implementation in The Gambia.
Consistent with YIL-Network’s philosophy of inclusive excellence, the awards framework recognized achievement at all levels. First-place recipients received Certificates of Achievement and institutional awards; runners-up were equally honoured with formal recognition. In a deliberate gesture of universal inclusion, all six participating schools received Certificates of Participation affirming that every student’s presence, preparation, and engagement constitutes a meaningful contribution to the collective mission of youth development.
STATEMENT FROM THE FOUNDER & CEO“The Teens Seminar is a living expression of what YIL-Network stands for: empowering young Africans not merely to consume the global conversation, but to shape it. Our UNEP Observer Status is a mandate a mandate we fulfill one community, one school, and one young leader at a time. What happened in Sibanor on June 19 was not just a school competition; it was a statement to the world that the youth of The Gambia are ready, informed, and capable of leading on the issues that matter most.”Ambassador Francis Masaline, Founder & CEO, Youth International Leadership Institute (YIL-Network)
As YIL-Network continues to strengthen its presence across Africa and deepen its engagement with the United Nations system, the Teens Seminar stands as a testament to the enduring conviction that sustainable global development begins with the empowerment of young people in every region, in every community, on every continent.
