In a bid to improve sanitary conditions in our environment, members of Better Africa Youth Initiative (BAYI), a youth organisation based in The  Gambia, last Sunday, embarked on a voluntary cleaning exercise around the Westfield-Jimpex area in the Kanifing Municipality; a joint exercise that culminated from a strong collaboration between members of the Institute of Domestic and International Affairs (IDIA), an American organization based in New Jersey  and BAYI.

IDIA's members are currently in the country to help the youth organisation to develop and run programmes that will participate in the empowerment of youths and develop their leadership and communication skills among others.

Speaking to the Daily Observer, Michael Hinchcliffe, executive director of IDIA, explained that the exercise is part of what IDIA and BAYI are trying to accomplish in enabling students and young people to get involved in the community activities.

"The cleansing exercise constitutes a way for the youths to contribute their quota in the community and do something with notable outcomes," he added. He therefore urged young people who want to make a difference in their community to affiliate with organizations like BAYI for productive results.

Adding his voice, Akeem Aremu, Director of Programs for BAYI said that the exercise will serve to give youths a sense of belonging and make them realize that they are stakeholders in the community.

He therefore noted that a healthy student cannot come from an unhygienic environment, as "a dirty environment cannot create a healthy mind."  He further revealed that IDIA, in partnership with BAYI, will hold a leadership conference for students from the 15th to 17th of January 2008, which is currently underway at Gambia High School in Banjul.

About 150 students from 15 schools are expected to participate in the conference.

Sanna Sanneh, a grade 12 student of Rose Kali International School, said he was happy to be involved in the exercise because it provided him with the opportunity to serve the community. He also advised Gambian youths to be united and continue to work for the common good of the country.

For her part, the secretary general of BAYI, Sheila Akomiah, thanked the Institute for Domestic and International Affairs for their support. She also extended BAYI's appreciation to the students for coming out in their numbers to participate in the exercise.