Women all over the country under the aegis of the Office of the Vice President and Ministry of Women's Affairs through the National Women Council and the Women’s Bureau are currently mobilising in preparation for a 'solidarity work' on the various farms belonging to the Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh.

Scheduled for this weekend, the 'solidarity work' is expected to bring to Kanilai thousands of women from all works of life, a move that is also meant to show appreciation to the Gambian leader for raising the status of the nation’s womenfolk.

The coordinating committee of the ‘solidarity work’, headed by the executive director of the Women’s Bureau, Ida Faye-Hydara over the weekend in Kanilai discussed with officials on the ground, modalities including logistics arrangements that would ensure the work is successful. Speaking to reporters shortly after the meeting, executive director Faye-Hydara, explained that though Gambian women have been showing solidarity with the president, the event they are currently mobilising for would be the first of its kind as it will bring all the women in the country under one umbrella to work on the various farms belonging to him [President Jammeh].

She said: "We are here to check on logistics on the different farms that we can work on; the type of work that is needed. For example we were told that weeding is needed on the groundnut and rice farms, as well as rice plantation. This is the information we needed to pass on to the women so that they can prepare themselves. We were also told that everybody coming is expected to bring her working tools."

The Women's Bureau boss stressed that they are not just coming to Kanilai as women groups to enjoy but for a real 'solidarity work' on the president's farms. "For the institutions including the private sector, we are telling them to come in big numbers, as well as all the regions," she appealed, while indicating that assistance would be needed in the area of transport, which seems to be a major constraint for them. She also disclosed that some women are expected to be in Kanilai as early as Thursday, notably those from the provinces. She underscored that such a major convergence of women would also serve as an opportunity to realise the importance of having the Gambia Women Federation, which was initiated not long a ago.

She used the opportunity to harp on the importance of the anti-hunger crusade championed by President Jammeh over the years, pointing out that The Gambia survived the global food crisis that engulfed many countries thanks to the earlier advice the president gave to Gambians to go back to the land. "I think we have really seen why he [the president] called us to go back to the land and the president himself does it in action," she stated.

Speaking earlier, the director general of the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) Alhaji Momodou Sanyang, who was present at the meeting with the women coordinating committee in Kanilai, urged the women to do what brought them to the president’s farms. He added that the president has done a lot for the women and Gambians at large. For his part, Wally Senghore, a coordinator at the Kanilai Farms told reporters that they are prepared to host the women in Kanilai, acknowledging that this is the type of solidarity needed on the president’s farming crusade. He then expressed his appreciation for the women's move.