The  Equigambia Association is  an organisation that was set-up to improve the skills of young tailors and dyers (batik, tie and dye) and help  women to create their own independent businesses and find markets for their products, within and outside The Gambia.

This week, Observer Women's Weekly  deems it necessary to introduce these dynamic young women who are contributing immensely to the socio-economic development of the country.

In an interview with Women's Weekly at their showroom in Kololi, Mrs Amie Puye Ceesay, the sales assistant of Equigambia, said she is a young Gambian woman of 28 years old, born and brought up in Kololi. She attended Bakoteh Primary School, Kotu Junior and  Senior Secondary School, from where she proceeded to Kololi Women Skills Centre.

She added that she  joined Equigambia in order to improve her skills.  "As you can see, all these people are young women who come together to work in order to help themselves, their families and also to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country," she said.

Mrs Ceesay disclosed that the project is based on the internationally recognised principles of fair trade and the main product, the Equigambia collection, is a range of beautiful and relatively inexpensive garments and accessories for women, men and children.

To achieve their purpose, she explained, the Equigambia project is divided into three separate sections and these are: A training centre to improve skills in the sewing, tie and dye and batik arts; productive activities whereby the dyers and tailors produce designs from the Equigambia collection for the association and a commercial section to sell the items.

The association is managed like a co-operative and selling is done mainly at trade fairs, to tourists, expatriates and Gambians, fashion shows in hotels and various other events.

She further stated that, at Equigambia all the accounts are transparent and the whole enterprise is audited by an approved accountant, to ensure that everything conforms to the principles of fair trade.

She added that, the association also trains young girls, who are school drop-outs or from others skill centres.
She disclosed that most of their customers are tourists and they make bigger sales during the tourist season.

"I, therefore, on behalf of all our members called on the government of The Gambia to come to our aid and Gambians to patronise us as we are young Gambian women working together to develop our country," she appealed.

Mrs Amie Puye Ceesay called on young girls to venture into business.
Most of the products at the Equigambia showroom have local names like Jainaba (long dress, large size), Banjul (sun dress, one size), wengaloo (bias cut dress, two colors without zip), Farafenni (beach bag), capanita (Sambakuko hat with velcro).
In conclusion, she thanked the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET), for their support.