The executive members of Bonto village development committee (VDC) have undergone a four (4) days capacity building training program which started on the 27 of July to 30 2021 at Bonto village. The program is funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

 The training form part of the key recommendations that were highlighted in the 2020 VDC or WDC assessment exercise conducted by the department of community and its funds from the council.

 The village comprises three Kabilos and each Kabilo was represented by two members in the capacity building training program. The Kabilos are MANJACK KUNDA KABILIO, JOLA KUNDA KABILO and MANDINKA KUNDA KABILO.

 Manjack Kunda Kabilo was represented by Albert Sylva and Ben Bass while the Jola Kunda Kabilo was represented by Nfamara Bocande Bojang and Fabakary Badjie and Rassin Demba and Ebrima Ceesay represented Mandinka Kunda Kabilo.

 The training is expected to empower grass-root structures and to ensure effective performance. Speaking at the event, Lamin Dibba, councillor of Pirang ward said women are often left behind when its come to taking responsibilities in VDC.

 He said the needs and aspirations of the villages should be driven from the VDC board level and to the council. Dibba stated that at the end of the training, the needs and wants of the village should be known. He assured the rest of the villages in his ward to have their own standing VDC.

 For Fatou Sanneh,  a trainer from the community development highlights the significance of the training. She urged the delegate to take part in village development work most especially women.

“Bonto koto as a village has never got a well established VDC of its own,” said Abubacarr Ben Bass the VDC PRO. Bass urged his colleagues to take the training with seriousness as education is a lifelong process.

The first phase of the UNDP sponsored training targeted five villages and the training was rolled out to other village development committees across the region.

 

By Dawda Baldeh