Musa Mbaye, executive director of The Gambia National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS) has said that his office has a moral obligation to the welfare of the poor and needy.

He also emphasised that they owe the same obligation to the children and grand children strategies for addressing the problems confronting the young people, such as youth poverty which normally results from demographic, economic and social factors.

"The NYSS is a champion in advocating for young people's rights to education, health as well as empowerment" he said Executive director Mbaye made these statements on Monday during the official commencement of a five-day small enterprise development and entrepreneurship training for ex Corps Members organised of NYSS at the NYSS orientation camp in Bakau.

According to him, access to decent work is an antidote to social exclusion right across the global economy. The training, he said seeks to unlock the potential for creating more and better jobs in the small enterprise sector.

He further recalled that since the inception of NYSS, it has graduated more than 2000 young male and . "Without productive employment, achieving the goals of decent living standards, social and economic integration, personal fulfilment as well as social development becomes difficult.

A successful response to the challenges of youth employment means constructing a solid foundation for intergenerational solidarity" he said. Marcel Mendy, public relations officer of NYSS said his office has gone an extra mile to institute a youth enterprise revolving fund especially for its successful Corps Members  to access funds for their self-employment ventures.

Mr Mendy then revealed that among the graduates of the scheme, a good number of them are now emerging as business tycoons, managers, contractors and engineers among other developments.

He then urged the participants to make the maximum utility of the training and to make sure that they consider The Gambia first before anything.