The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) in collaboration with football’s world governing body, FIFA, on Friday held a women’s football symposium at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo.
The event was the highlight of a week filled with activities meant towards consolidating the remarkable strides registered in the area of women’s football development in The Gambia. Attended by officials from the FIFA women’s Football Department and the First Lady of The Gambia, Her Excellency Madam Fatou Bah-Barrow, the event is also meant to facilitate opportunities for networking, collaboration and exchange of ideas with targeted key stakeholders with key emphasis on advancing the course of women’s football in the country.
Speaking at the gathering, the First Lady implored on young women to chase their dreams on and off the pitch in order to become successful future leaders. The Senior Women’s Football Coordinator of the GFF, Mrs. Sainey Sissohore-M’Boge highlighted the key developments registered by women’s football in The Gambia in the last eight years.
Delivering the symposium opened, Lamin Kaba Bajo, the President of the GFF said grassroots, women football development in particular, is a key component of the Federation’s National Football Development Plan. Chronicling the achievements registered in women’s football development, with the highlight being the participation of provincial teams in the national league, Mr. Bajo said his leadership designed a deliberate program in 2014 meant to advocate the development of women and girls to ensure that those with the most potential and talents are captured and nurtured to create a more positive learning environment tailored towards individual needs.
Arijana Demirovic, Head of Women’s Football Development at FIFA, said she is happy how far women football has developed in The Gambia, starting from the Live Your Goals festival in 2014.
Beatrice Allen the President of The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) sang the praises of the GFF leadership for positing Gambian football into its proper context. She highlighted the major achievements in Gambian football under Lamin Kaba Bajo, culminating with the historic qualification to the 2021 African Cup of Nations, expressing optimism that the women National Team will eventually qualify for the continental finals sooner than later.
The Honorary International Olympic Committee member hailed the catch them young policy of the GFF, but was, however, quick to implore the Federation to go even deeper by recruiting girls at the nursery level in order to catch them younger and introduce them to organised football.
Marcel Mendy, the Executive Director of the National Sports Council, who deputised the Minister of Youth & Sports reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting football but more importantly to support and encourage the development of women’s football.
Isatou Njie, the National Coordinator of the Network of Locally Elected Women in Africa (REFELA) The Gambia Chapter and Women Councillor, representing the Mayor of Banjul, said her office intends to close the gap of the underrepresentation of women in football, both on and off the field. She added that it is important to conduct more media campaign on women’s football in The Gambia, and ensurinng more leadership positions is taken by them.
The event was moderated by the General Secretary of the GFF Lamin M. Jassey who thanked the Secretariat to collaborating and supporting the Women’s Football Unit in delivering a very successful program.
