Samasang Youth and Children Development Association (SAYCDA) in Kombo Central, last Friday ended its Second annual youth and children's empowerment forum at the Mothers Union Nursery School in Brikama Nema.

The forum was aimed at empowering young people through capacity building in preparing them to take up their responsibilities more effectively. During the forum, topics were deliberated by resource persons which included teenage pregnancy, amongst others. Speaking at the closing ceremony, Miss Penda Gaye, chairperson of the association, described the five-day forum as very useful to the participants.

She said that the issues that were discussed during the sessions, would go a long way in building the capacity of the participants in taking up responsibilities. Miss Gaye then used the opportunity to urge participants to make the maximum utility of the forum by disseminating the information gained to the grassroot. She also thanked the Samasang Federation, their main partners for funding the forum.

Momodou Jallow, area manager of Kira Nyining and Samasang Federations stated that, CCF is now taking a global change of direction, adding that their main focus is on the young people. According to him, they were spending 2% of their fundings on youth, which he said, would now be accelerated to 27% this year.

Mr Jallow urged the participants and members of the association to work extra hard in achieving their aims and objectives. Edrisa Cham, program manager of Samasang Federation observed that to empower young people, they equally must be prepared to take up their responsibilities. He expressed hope that they will make best use of the knowledge gained.