>From: omar joof <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list              <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [>-<] Immortal Satang Jobarteh >Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 16:56:39 +0000 > >We do not forget her, and she shall always be remembered. >May her soul rest in perfect peace! Ameen. >Omar Joof. > >>From: <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: [log in to unmask] >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: [>-<] Immortal Satang Jobarteh >>Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 07:46:40 -0800 (PST) >> >>[ This e-mail is posted to Gambia|Post e-Gathering by >><[log in to unmask]> ] >> >> >>From the Daily Observer >> >>RIP >> >>Immortal Satang Jobarteh >>By Yunisa S. Saliu >>Feb 26, 2004, 13:29 >> >> >>The Late Satang Jobarteh >>It is a pity that the soil eats and consumes a lot. A lot of what? >>Will be >>the question many will ask. It seems just like yesterday, but, it >>is a year >>since one of the female gender activists, Satang Jobarteh passed >>away. >>Immortal Satang, a woman of substance as she would love to be >>remembered. >> >>Very early on Monday, February 24, 2003 one of the busiest highways >>in the >>Greater Banjul Area, Bundung, the location of her training centre, >>Simma >>Vocational Training Institute an area with a great sense of >>neighbourhood >>and community lost Satang. I saw the impromptu crowd at Satang’s >>School. >>The crowd, a cross section of those who live in the Greater Banjul >>Area >>extended halfway to the centre, at the RVTH mortuary and at >>Tallinding, in >>her uncle’s compound. People walked crying and passed each other. >>Everyone wore a mourning face while some were in a fierce mood. If >>I am to >>make non-accounting guess I would say that all tribes in The Gambia >>were >>over-represented in the crowd. Different languages were spoken. >> >>Condolence messages from different groups both national and >>international >>most especially from Mamacash of Netherlands, AWDF Ghana, Akina >>Mama wa >>Afrika, Uganda to mention but a few of them. To be frank, many >>passed their >>tributes through newspapers, radio and television reviews. Plenty >>of the >>training schools and NGO’s attended her burial and sympathised >>with the >>family, students and staff of Simma. For almost a term the SIMMA >>vocational >>training centre was in mourning. Different comments and much >>tributes were >>written by sympathisers . >> >>It is quite true that the modern media latched onto her death. It >>is quite >>true that the modern media latched onto the death of a gender >>activist with >>a vision and zeal. Though some might claim that journalists write >>or say >>too much about the late Satang, yes, she’s worth it. I can >>confirm that >>because she created and left behind a big vacuum to be filled by >>gender >>activists and women in general. It can be filled but can it be done >>the >>same way she did. Satang achievements as an activist are visible >>and >>transparent. Voluntarily she established the SIMMA Vocational >>Training >>Institute. The centre has graduated many youths to the field of >>employment >>and many are serving the country in various capacities. She >>researched and >>documented women legacies in a booklet and staged an exhibition to >>show and >>express the excellence of Gambian women. She engaged in many >>seminars and >>participated in many fora as a resource person and panelist to >>raise gender >>awareness. Satang who is not pa! >>rtisan trekked most parts of the country sensitising and advocating >>for >>female participation in national development, female inclusion in >>politics >>and decision-making position. Her excellent and popular articles >>under the >>the Daily Observer’s Women-in-Development column was applauded >>and >>commended by many readers because it was informative and contained >>vital >>information. >> >>A woman of her calibre is worth remembering. How do people forget >>so soon? >>The so-called woman of substance is a jewel to the nation. She left >>behind >>two precious things that she so cherished, they are Fanta Manneh, >>her >>daughter and a training centre, SIMMA. After her death, many made >>different >>pledges and vowed to support the centre both in kind and cash. But >>do >>people live by their words? In developed countries, activists are >>always >>held in high esteem and recognised. It is a pity that she came from >>Africa, >>The Gambia for that matter. Had it been one of the Western >>countries, even >>among some of the developing countries in Africa, she should have >>been >>immortalised and her name written in history books like Queen Mary >>Slessor, >>Princess Diana, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti or Mirable Sisters amongst >>others. >> >>The centre she left behind in support of the government’s call to >>create >>better access to skills training could have been turned round to a >>better >>centre that will suit her vision. If students from some western >>universities like Easton University, London and UWIC UK can come to >>the >>centre to study and know more about gender education, capacity >>building, >>African women participation in nation building because of the >>relationship >>Satang built and legacies she laid down, I do not see the reason >>why the >>centre cannot be encouraged more if the usefulness of Satang is to >>be >>recognised. >> >>Through her efforts in advocacy, counselling and enlightening girls >>and >>young women on how not to be dependants and liabilities to their >>families >>and the nation, she brought changes to many homes in crisis by >>fighting >>against arranged and early marriages, the role of women in building >>the >>society, awareness of politics, teenage pregnancy, baby dumping and >>violence against women. To recognise her prowess, the management, >>staff and >>students of Simma Vocational Training Institute have organised >>memorial >>lectures for the late Satang Jobarteh on February 23 and 24 >>respectively. >> >>Time can fly like a bird, but I know her death is still fresh in >>our >>memories. I know if there are activists in heaven she will take a >>front row >>and continue where she stopped on earth. >> >>To see an elephant one must be in the forest... >>For us to see a lion, you must be in the reserve ... >>A bird like an Ostrich is scarce and could be found in thick ... >>To see Satang, a woman of substance would be in the hereafter. >>May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen >> >>© Copyright 2003 by Observer Company >> >>Top of Page >> >> >>_____________________________________________________________ >>Introducing the New Netscape Internet Service.  Only $9.95 a month >>-- Sign >>up today at http://isp.netscape.com/emreg.   Netscape. 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