The Independent Published Monday, May 28, 2001 41 students graduate at Boka Loho Skill Centre Forty-one students of "Boka Loho" Skill Centre were on Friday 18th May awarded certificates and prizes having successfully completed the three-year course in various skill subjects in the institute. In his opening remarks, Buba Senghore president of "Boka Loho" and a founding member of the institute said Boka Loho started operation in The Gambia as an NGO six to seven years ago with Dumo Saho as the initiator. According to him, they started collecting materials from Sweden, America and other parts of Europe to build the institution. He said "Boka Loho" is a structured fully registered NGO and one of the oldest skill centres in the country. He described Dumo Saho as a patriot whose aim is to work towards the development of The Gambia. He finally appealed to government to help them with a piece of land, which he said is one of their main problems. In her keynote address Adelaide Sosseh Gaye who deliberated on poverty said that The Gambia is among the least developed and poorest countries in the world, attributing the ugly situation to high population growth and urban migration among others. She said youths, women and farmers are the worst affected with limited access to education and healthcare among others. She pointed out that government is aware of the potentials the skill centres can contribute in the fight against poverty which she described as a right step in the right direction by all skill centres operating in the country. She warned the students to work hard in order to succeed in life. She also warned female students to be creative in order to be independent and to share the knowledge gained with the less fortunate students. In his annual address Abubacarr Sinayoko principal of the school said "this event marks the third graduation ceremony of the "Boka Loho Skill Training Centre since its inception in 1996." This institution he said is a product of the Youth Development and Enterprise Programme of the "Boka Loho" organisation of the Gambia with the primary objective of catering fort he least privilege members of society particularly the youth with special emphasis on the empowerment of girls and women. He said a careful review in retrospect, past records show that they have registered batches 90% average pass mark during the three consecutive batches which he said is a very attractive record. Alhagie Badjie delivered the vote of thanks. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------