By Abdul
A Community Based Organization (CBO), Human Solidarity, has ended a one day training workshop for fifty (50) young people within the Hastings Community in the Western Area Rural District (WARD) on capacity building to complement Government’s efforts in that direction.
The training was conducted at the Twin Hall within the Hastings community on Saturday, 28th, August 2021 with the theme “Youth Perspective on Civil Society Space for Sustainable Development”.
Welcoming participants to the training on behalf of the Hastings community, the Headman, Cecil Wright, described Hastings as a big community with an increasing number of inhabitants, furthering how the training would allow participants to discuss relevant developmental issues.
He encouraged participants to disseminate vital information to all those that were not fortunate to be part of the training program, adding that the issue of capacitating or empowering young people with necessary skills and messages to foster development is not an easy task.
The Headman intimated the youthful participants that Government and him cannot do it all adding that if young people come together and organize themselves accordingly, development would flourish in their various communities.
He revealed that community electricity, bad road network, water and sanitation, unemployment are issues that they need to be discussed among the youth in order to bring out solutions. He mentioned that youth development and community issues largely depend on voluntary work and highlighted that the session is all about finding ways to decentralize development among the working population.
Mr. Wright advised his audience against lawlessness because, according to him, it hinders or reverses progress also frowning against the use of invectives or caustic language in public by some young people. He said the security situation within the Hastings community is improving than in the past for the fact that major incidents were not reported over the period.
He lauded the youths of Hastings for their usual participation in community development programs such as the cleaning of the community water dam, cemetery and for partaking in other environmental cleaning activities. He appealed to the youthful participants to embrace unity, peace and to love one another as God loves all.
In his presentation, the National Coordinator for Human Solidarity, Idriss Gibson Mansaray informed that his organization was founded in 2013 at Hastings Village, but came to full time operation in 2014.
He pointed out that Human Solidarity is registered with the Western Area Rural District Council (WARD C) and other line institutions, recalling that they have carried out lot of community activities, including sensitization on teenage pregnancy, early marriage and many other activities within the Hastings and beyond.
The National Coordinator recounted that they have received funding from the British High Commission to work with women in leadership positions. He highlighted that last year they brought together women parliamentarians in leadership positions from four political parties including, APC, SLPP, NGC and C4C with big facilitators from recognized institutions.
He reminded participants that Human Solidarity will join the entire world to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child on the 11th October, 2021, adding that they will also receive visitors from Germany who will pay a visit to the organization’s office at Hastings community.
Mansaray stated that Human Solidarity works on human rights, gender issues, civic responsibility and many more, adding that the workshop was convened to bring participants together to start discussion on something that has to do with their individual perspectives and development mindsets.
The Youth Chairman for Hastings Village, Abubakarr Kamara expressed gratitude to the National Coordinator, Mr. Mansaray for organizing such an important training for them and emphasized that development is the desire of every individual in society.
He said the training would teach participants important lessons to foster sustainable development in communities, adding that Hastings community is far behind in terms of development in the region. He therefore encouraged youthful participants to be selfless in initiating developmental projects.
The Youth Chairman continued that only politics and business could transform Hastings community and described Hastings as a politically divided community. He therefore urged beneficiaries of the training to come forward and take center stage in leadership for the fact that “only leadership can set us free”.
He encouraged young people to embrace politics, business and education for the development of the community and called on participants to make meaningful inputs and add value to the process.
Representing Councilor for Ward 391, Edward Kargbo, a Ward Committee member, Lebbie Bangura described development as a top priority in the Councilor’s agenda and congratulated all those that came together to actualize the workshop. “This development would bring positive changes in our community,” he stated.
A female participant, Isatu Boyah prayed for the continuation and sustainability of the initiative and called on fellow women to come together to push the development of Hastings community forward.
She said capacity building is very key for young people within the community because they are far behind in terms of development and emphasized on the importance to come together as women to address burning issues affecting their everyday lives.
An indigene of Hastings, Emmanuel Scott described the youths as the foundation in any society, concluding that if the youths of Hastings fail to comport themselves as one they would continue to find situations extremely difficult to enhance the most desired development.
