By Alhagie Babou Jallow
In their quest to create awareness and increase understanding among adolescent girls, on issues of nutrition, health, hygiene, gender equality, feeding, and sanitation, stakeholders and partners recently organised a four-day training of trainers for some students from the lower basic and Madrasa schools.
The training was organized by the Forum for African Women Educationists Gambia chapter (FAWEGAM), in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, with support from the World Food Programme, through the African Development Bank-funded Gambia Agriculture and Food Security Project (GAFSP).
Held at the Governor’s Office in Kerewan, North Bank Region, the training targeted 69 students drawn from 23 lower basic and Madarasa schools, with the aim to enhance their understanding of the importance of nutrition, health, hygiene, gender equality, feeding and sanitation.
The move aimed to equip and advocate for positive behavioral change to safeguard and protect adolescent girls and peer health educators against harmful practices.
Senior Programme Officer, Health and Nutrition Unit at the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education, Fatoumata Singhateh stated that the training of adolescent girls and peer health coordinators is significant, as it will empower them with skills and knowledge on menstrual hygiene, gender-based violence, and sanitation to improve health and wellbeing.
She highlighted the training subjects as: basic nutrition and school feeding, food-based dietary guidelines; micronutrient supplementation: deworming and Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS), food fortification and bio-fortification, micronutrient-rich foods, and School Meal Improvement Initiatives.
The basic nutrition and school feeding presentation, she explained, highlights the importance of providing nutritious meals to schoolchildren to support their health, growth, and academic performance.
“It emphasises children’s right to food and nutrition through sustainable and community-driven initiatives. Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) provide practical advice on healthy eating habits tailored to local food availability, culture, and nutritional needs,” she stated.
Dilating on Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) as a fundamental human right, Madam Singhateh said access to sexual and reproductive health services is a crucial aspect of human rights, yet millions worldwide, especially women and girls, face barriers that limit their autonomy and well-being.
A recent presentation underscores the vital connection between SRHR and human rights, emphasising the responsibility of states to respect, protect, and fulfill these rights. The evolution of SRHR within international human rights frameworks, tracing key milestones from the Tehran Conference on Human Rights in 1968 to the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. It highlights how international agreements have shaped policies that advocate gender equality, access to contraceptives, safe pregnancy, and the right to make informed reproductive choices.
Madam Singhateh underscored the dangers of contaminated water and inadequate sanitation, linking them to illnesses such as diarrhea and cholera. She further stressed the need for clean water sources, proper toilet facilities, and handwashing practices to prevent diseases.
Mr Martin Mendy, Senior Programme Officer at FAWEGAM, reiterated the need for adolescent girls and peer health personnel to share lessons learned, noting that it would help bring about positive change on decision-making.
Buya Bah, of Buniadu Lower Basic School, and Yasin Touray of Ngain Sanjal Arabic School thanked FAWEGAM for the initiative. They attested to the fact that the training has empowered them and enhanced their knowledge on health, balanced diet, menstrual hygiene, and sanitation. The duo noted that such training is very useful as it will bridge information gaps and enable girls to make informed decisions relating to nutritional development.
