The Gambia

Marchel Kevin Mendy is currently the Executive Secretary of The Gambia National Youth Council. As the administrative Head of the Council, among his day-to-day responsibilities are the daily running of the secretariat, championing the call for youth empowerment through the provision of skills, employment etc. By virtue of his position, he helps to conduct research on youth development, monitor the implementation of the National Youth Policy of Government and decisions of the National Youth Conference, mobilize resources for youth development, work closely with charitable organizations involved in youth related work and activities, organize youth conferences and festivals, promote networking with other national youth bodies and youth organizations abroad, plan and implement national youth programmes, maintain a data bank on youth organizations and activities in the country, register national youth organizations and supervise the operations of the Regional Youth Committees;

Under his stewardship, the Council plays a critical advocacy role in the implementation of all youth related programmes particularly those run by State departments. The Council also serves as the main advisory body to government on all matters relating to youth development in the country. At the same time, the Council serves as a channel of communication for all issues, including Government policy and programmes to all affiliated youth organizations. As a non-partisan body, the Council shall take the full responsibility as the mouthpiece of all youth organizations in the country.

Marchel who recently graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Population and Development was nominated to be the Commonwealth Youth Representative for The Gambia in June 2009 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. He has since represented the youth of The Gambia in international forums such as the Commonwealth Regional Youth Caucus meeting in Nigeria, Senior Government Officials Meetings in Nigeria and a host of other meetings.

“My dream is to succeed in changing the mind sets of young Gambians and get them understand that the Western world is not as ‘green’ as one may thinks. Instead, it is only under a different shade and that if we tighten our belts, we will ensure a meteoric change”.