With the absence of recreation centers across the country, the department of Youth and Sports, National Youth and Sports Councils under the Ministry of Youth and Sports stepped up keep youth busy by organizing a youth and sports camp in the summer vacation.
Gambian youth are left to wonder around the streets or the beaches during summer; something that worries parents and stakeholders.
In a bid to keep the youth busy in the summer vacation, the camp aims to bringing one hundred youths from across the nation and engage them on a host of activities such as sports, education and religion at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
Speaking at a press conference at the Independence Stadium on Friday, Pa Suwareh Faye Deputy Director of Sports revealed that the summer camp will be in 10 days. According to Pa the summer camp will kick off from 25th August to 2nd September 2012.
The deputy director of sports said that his department has sent forms to all the regions. He said each region should send in ten participants aged 10-15, while his department will provide 15 participants. He also noted that child fund, the Gambia is asked to provide 10 children while the remaining five comes from outside.
Mr Faye, however, said sporting activities such as football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, Paralympics, wrestling, will characterize the camp. He also noted that the campers will also be opportune to go for site seeing and will be exposed to educational programmes as well as handicrafts such as tie and dye.
Meanwhile Pa Faye the idea is to bring Gambian youths together during the summer, build friendship among them and educate them in key aspects which will benefit them even after the camp.
For his part, Abdoulia Faye of NYC said it is significant to train young ones on vital activities at their early age. Faye, however, assured parents that their children will be in a proper care during the camp, saying that an ambulance will be set aside for their health aspects.