THE LEGACY OF SATANG JOBARTEH

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A person may be measured by his or her talents wh!ile he or she lives and by
his or her friends when he or she dies. The great multitude who had
assembled on Tuesday 25 February 2003 to pay final respect to Satang
Jobarteh was the most dramatic tribute that a people can give to a beloved
and departed one. We had all known for some time that Satang was gravely
ill, but few of us could contemplate her death. It appeared that she was
almost too much with us to consider that there would come a time when she
would say farewell.




Her voice was an omni-potent cry in a patriarchal society. Her sharp
features, majestic eyes and charming beauty are vivid etchings on the
landscape of our minds. Satang was an experienced, dynamic and charismatic
lady who has left an indelible mystical footprint in the sands of time. Such
a woman cannot be erased from the mind. She was an epitome of the collective
consciousness of women emancipation. Even with the final rites been long
conducted on her remains, Satang will still be a vital part of the gender
consciousness of this nation.






Her voice penetrated the mind with a central message that was universally
understood. Her mes!sage was a protest against gender injustice, a comfort
to the opressed, a search for peaceful co-existence and a cry for hope. Hers
was not a message confined to our little nation alone, rather it was a
universal message for all nations. Teaming with people both at home and
abroad to address gender disparity, she said: "the human race is a network
in which the single action of one individual has the capacity of affecting
all, hence the need for partnership in the human kind for a peaceful
co-existence".

That is why her audience was universal because she spoke for all voiceless
women worldwide through her diverse numerous contributions as either
panelist, participant or resource person in several workshops both at home
and abroad. These include: the Post World Summit Goals for Sustainable
Development from a Gender Perspective; Post Johannesburg Summit; Poverty
Reduction; WIPNET conference; Mamacash Women's THINK TANK; ADB/NGO
consultation Forum; Gender Mainstreaming and Monitoring; WANEP Peace
Building; Validation of the CEDAW; AMWA Leadership Training; ACCS/ECA
steering committee meeting; Civic Society Workshop on the Lome Convention;
Action Aid Community Gender Sensitization Programmes; and the monthly UN
Forums to name but a few.

She was born forty-three years ago in the small "island town of
Jangjangburreh in the Central River Division of The Gambia. She schooled
there and later moved to the Greater Banjul Area in the Kombo St. Mary
Division. In her childhood days, Satang was greatly admired for her
truthfulness,friendliness, respect for elders and her out-spokenness in
calling a spade a spade. One fami!ly member who grew up with Satang had this
to say about her: "Whenever there was a quarrel between father and mother,
the young Satang was seen as the innocent lamb who always prevail on her
parents to restore peace in the family. She was the peace-broker in the
home. The innate interest in peace and love for humanity demonstrated by my
cousin (Satang) as a child, clearly distinguished her from the rest of her
peers as the young beauty became distinctly ear-marked for greatness". She
was married with two children, a boy (whom she lost at infancy) and a girl
(who is currently pursuing her studies in the United Kingdom).

Satang first came to public attention with The Gambia National Archives and
Save the Children- (U.S.) respectively where she served as a dedicated and
hardworking employee. But it was her raw talents, self-descipline and sheer
perseverance that transported her from an employee to become an employer
with SIMMA Vocation Training Institute. An organisation she founded in 1991
with the aim to improve the economic and social prospects of females by
providing them with information, skills and increased access to resources
for self-reliance.

The institution, which has become the legacy of her life operates on five
thematic areas providing counseling services, advocate for women's rights,
and raising public awareness on gender concepts. On Education and Skills
Training, the institute, since its establisment, has been providing a
two-year intensive training in vocational, secretarial and computer courses
leading up to the Pitman's Qualification Exams. This year alone, a hundred
students graduated from the institute with an eighty-five percent pass rate.
The institute also conducts workshops in various communities for women's
groups, youths and community members on wome!n's rights, gender education,
women in politics and peace building.

The unequal division of labour, abuse of women's rights, the under-
representation of women in positions of power which limits their
participation in policy formulation are practices not in conformity with
both ratified Human Rights instruments and the National Laws. This forms the
basis for the Sensitization and Awareness Raising Campaign of SIMMA. Customs
and traditions used as justification for such practices are challenged and
their legitimacy questioned through article writing and during SIMMA's
social mobilization forums for infor!med choices and decision. SIMMA's
various sensitization workshops for opinion leaders, women's groups and
youths to raise awareness on gender concepts and the need for recognition of
women as partners in development had contributed immensely towards increased
female representation in politics.

On its Advocacy and Counseling front, SIMMA has been an Advocate for the
ratification of the Matrimonial Bill as the customary law is at the
disadvantage of women. Counseling services are rendered to girls and young
women who report to the centre for advice or assistance. These include
victims of forced marriage, early marriage, domestic violence as well as
victims of divoced. A research on the significant contributions of women in
leadership conducted by SIMMA led to the publication of a handbook entitled:
"Socio-Political Strides of Gambian Women" which is widely circulated to the
!National Archives and Library, National Museum, NGOs, etc.

On Capacity Building, SIMMA seeks to strengthen the parti!cipation of women
in the socio-economic development of their respective areas. It provides
publicity for exposure of women's products to earn them markets and good
prices; training in food preservation and storage; and diversification and
lobby for the recognition of their valuable contributions.

SIMMA over the years has slowly but surely gained status and recognition
nationwide. Today, SIMM!A is a member of the Gender Experts Network recently
launched by the Vice President of The Gambia; a member of the Association of
Non-overnmental Organisation (TANGO); a Registered Charity approved to
operate as a training centre by the Department of State for Education; a
Board Member for the Trust Fund for Girls, the Education Advisory Council,
Gambia Youth Trust, and the Agency for the Development of Women and
Children.

Satang has left behind more than a legacy of her life. She has bequeathed to
us the message of her life that with hardwork and self-descipline, there is
an open road to success. In her career, she was aided by many people, some
of them fellow activists and co-workers. They! played a wonderful supporting
role in her life which sustained and guided her to greater heights in her
activism career. Her success of course is SIMMA's success.

However, despite her glories, Satang had nothing personal for herself. Apart
from what a student once described as her "smoky old car", Satang had no
personal assets of value one cou!ld boast of. She owned nothing. She
collected nothing. Everything that flowed towards her flowed through her and
out to other people. Due to too much of compassion for humanity, she
couldn't keep anything for herself because someone else needed it. She
needed nothing. She gave everything, up to her last breath. She live her
entire life giving away to bring smiles and joys to! the lives of many.
Giving, giving and giving.

Completing the 2002Annual Report of SIMMA from her sick bed, the late
founder and Directress had this to say about the future of SIMMA: "when
matured, SIMMA Resource Centre will be able to serve as a base for
addressing women's concerns. Until we are able to realise this dream, we
will continue to strive. Our strength lies in the commitment we h!ave to
make a difference in the lives of the voiceless and disadvantaged females.
Our unique needs and concerns are numerous and genuine for urgent
consideration. It is either we address them now or we continue to neglect
and exploit them, which means condemning future generations of females to
repeating cycles of inequality and poverty. We hope you will continue to
support projects addressing wome!n's needs and concerns as priority areas in
the years to come".

We will, Satang, we will. Rest In Peace. Adieu.

............................................................................
............................................................................
.....

By Mr. Sheriff Bah English Teacher SIMMA Vocational Training Institute
Bundung, Serrekunda


Sent by

(MR. OUSAINOU JORBARTEH)

SIMMA WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTRE

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