1ST JULY 2026

,

Honourable Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare,
Honourable Cabinet Ministers present,
Honourable Members of the National Assembly,
Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps,
Senior Public Servants and Security Chiefs,
Our Eminent Development Partners,
Venerable Religious Leaders,
Distinguished Guests,
Esteemed Candidates,
Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is both an honour and a privilege to join you at this important and inspiring certification ceremony, organised through the SWEDD+ Programme.

Literally, this occasion is proudly about celebrating the completion of a vital training programme as it is about recognising the transformative process of guided ambitions, the display of resilience by our determined youths, and the redefinition of their personal futures.

Instructively, the event is a powerful reaffirmation of the wide scope of possibilities and opportunities that can accrue from targeted investments in the potential of young women.

Numerically, we are here to celebrate seven hundred and thirty-eight (738) adolescent girls and young women from the Greater Banjul Area who have successfully completed entrepreneurship and business management training. This number includes fifty-two (52) graduates from Banjul, two hundred and two (202) from the Kanifing Municipality, and four hundred and eighty-four (484) from the West Coast Region.

Significantly, each candidate here represents more than a number. Each beneficiary represents courage, determination, and hope, and their collective success supports the argument that opportunity and commitment are preconditions for excellence and progress.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
My government believes that empowerment of women and girls is morally obligatory and strategically imperative for national development. I can safely assert that no country can reap the full potential of its people without the participation of half of its population.

To re-echo my viewpoint, when women are empowered economically, families thrive, communities grow stronger, and nations prosper. This is why the empowerment of women and girls is a strong feature of our national development agenda.

Through initiatives such as the SWEDD+ Programme, The Gambia is wisely investing in human capital development, expanding economic opportunities, reducing vulnerability, and building sustainable livelihoods for our young people.

I am particularly pleased to highlight that Government has committed One Hundred and Seventeen Million Dalasis (GMD117 million) to support two thousand and sixty-four (2,064) out-of-school and vulnerable adolescent girls and young women nationwide with start-up business grants.

Also, I am delighted to announce the approval of a Thirty-Two Million, Nine Hundred and Thirty-One Thousand Dalasis (GMD 32.931 million) grant to support the seven hundred and thirty-eight (738) beneficiaries gathered here.

From this amount, Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-One Thousand Dalasis (GMD20.591 million) is allocated to beneficiaries in the West Coast Region, Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety Thousand Dalasis (GMD9.99 million) to the Kanifing Municipality, and Two Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dalasis (GMD2.35 million) to Banjul.

These grants are to serve as both financial resources and instruments of empowerment. They are catalysts for enterprise creation, job generation, and economic inclusion, in addition to being investments in the future of the recipients and the future of the nation.

Our Dear Candidates,
With this opportunity comes responsibility. I urge you to use these resources wisely, manage your businesses with discipline and integrity, and continue learning, adapting, and innovating. Support one another and build networks that will strengthen your successes.

We have selected you to be exemplars, pioneers, and part of a new generation of Gambian women expected to shape our economy, transform communities, and inspire other Gambian youths.

While we celebrate the Greater Banjul Area today, this programme is national in scope. Similar certification ceremonies will be conducted across the country to ensure that no region, community, or young woman is excluded from civic participation in national life.

This initiative and declaration reflect our firm commitment to inclusive development and equitable opportunity for all Gambians. I thank the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, the Women’s Enterprise Fund, our development partners, the implementing agencies, and all other stakeholders for making this initiative a success.

We also extend sincere appreciation to the World Bank for their continued partnership and support to The Gambia. Their contribution continues to positively impact the lives of our young women and strengthen our shared vision for inclusive growth.

I advise you, the candidates, not to regard this event as an end in itself but as a stepping stone for greater achievements. As a result, set forth purposefully and confidently. Believe in yourselves, strive for excellence, and live as role models and champions of positive change. Let your success stories inspire others, and let this achievement open similar doors for the coming generations.

Together, let us continue striving for a Gambia where every young woman has the opportunity to learn, earn, lead, and thrive - a Gambia where opportunity is not defined by circumstance but by determination and vision.

I congratulate you all and wish you every success in your future endeavours.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for your attention.