Sobeya Holds 13th Graduation Ceremony

Sobeya Skill Training Centre (SSTC) under the auspices of APGWA, last Friday 31st July 2009, held its 13th graduation ceremony at its centre in Churchills Town.

APGWA is a registered NGO with the Association of Non-Governmental Organisation (TANGO), formed by a group of professional urban and rural women who are striving hard to assist the less fortune women and young girls in society.

In her welcoming remarks, the Chairperson at the occasion, Mrs. Binta Njie Sidibeh noted that Sobeya Skill Training Centre was set up by (APGWA) in 1995.

According to her, the centre provides marketable skills to women and young girls with a view to make them independent, as well as create employment opportunities for the students.

“They have also been trained with functional education on matters which affect them directly, such as civic matters, women’s right, health education, personal hygiene, sex education, teenage pregnancy, prostitution, drug abuse, unemployment, dependency, environmental issues, and sexual transmitted infections, including HIV/Aids,” she stated.

Mrs. Fanta Bai Ceesay, the Director of Social Welfare Department encouraged the graduates to continue working hard to able them overcome the challenges ahead.

She stated that the main objectives for the establishment of skills centres is to complement government’s effort in empowering women and girls to have access to educational facilities, especially vocational skill training and to address gender imbalance in the education and employment sectors.

Mrs. Isatou Joof-Gajigo, the Guest Speaker at the occasion described knowledge as the seed of awareness that breeds understanding and yield lessons and solutions to problems. The acquisition of knowledge and skills, she added, lead to the cultivation of critical thinking.

“The practical application of learned skills and technology should be a daily activity for students if they want to make any meaningful contribution to society in this millennium”, she stated.