TİKA Supports Vocational Training in The Gambia

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided training tools and equipment for welding and tailoring workshops at the Kanilai Vocational and Technical Skills Training Center, located near The Gambia’s border with Senegal. The delivery was marked by a formal ceremony.

The project implemented by TİKA aims to enhance the vocational skills of young people enrolled in the center’s welding and tailoring programs.

The opening ceremony of the center was attended by Prof. Dr. Pierre Gomez, Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology; F. Türker Oba, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Banjul; Şule Bayar, TİKA’s Coordinator in Banjul; Ministry officials, members of the Gambia Radio and Television Corporation (GRTS) and students.

In his speech at the ceremony, F. Türker Oba, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Banjul, highlighted The Gambia’s significant advantage due to its young population. He emphasized the importance of the project in addressing the country’s unemployment issue and in creating a skilled workforce.

TİKA’s Coordinator in Banjul, Şule Bayar provided examples of various vocational training projects supported by TİKA in The Gambia to date and stated that they will continue to focus on initiatives aimed at developing the knowledge and skills of young people.

Minister Gomez stated that this project will offer young people living in rural areas the opportunity to acquire a profession and help prevent the migration of the youth population both by land and sea. He expressed his gratitude to Türkiye and TİKA for their support.

The center, which had previously been inactive, was revitalized and brought into operation at the request of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology. Thanks to this project, hundreds of young people will have the chance to gain valuable skills and secure a more stable income.