Community-Base Bamboo Nursery Project

Project Manager

non-profit organization

2005

Sankandi Youth Development Association

The project should serve the following objectives 1. To generate income and employment opportunities for the small and marginal farmers and weaker sections of the society, particularly those living below poverty line and women in nursery raising, plantation and primary processing for manufacturing of bamboo based products as well as for traditional crafts man using bamboo as a raw material. 2. To promote and carry out specialized cultivation of species of bamboo considered ideal and suitable for production of bamboo board and also for export. 3. To maintain environmental balance through conservation of forests, by planting bamboo as alternate material in place of non- biodegradable & high energy consuming materials like metals and plastics. 4. To improve the design development and the utility of the bamboo products by blending the traditional skills already available with the local people with the modern technological developments. 5. To generate awareness amongst rural masses about the alternative uses of bamboo in housing, horticulture, carpentry and, blacksmithy. 6. To create a marketing channel for the local people and to ensure marketing of bamboo products and to act as marketing support unit.

1. Reforestation of the depleted forest of its flora 2. Increased household incomes, food security and wellbeing of project beneficiaries. 3. Training of technicians and farmers on proper conduct of forest and woodland management 4. The project will facilitate linkage between project beneficiaries and micro finance institutions to ensure that they have access to both short and medium-term credit to enable them carry out additional income-generating activities. 5. introduction and distribution of technological packages, including conservation and conditioning of foods crops; 6. The project will also enhance the role of the private sector in providing market outlet for locals.

The long term objective also is to establish an effective and efficient supply chain of raw materials by providing adequate supply of planting material from the nursery. It is expected that the advocacy leadership will be encouraging among members that they will continually contribute to the existing knowledge about bamboo and provide useful information to business people, economists, and anyone involved in the research and development, marketing, trade or manufacturing of bamboo products and machineries to speed up the process.

Ansumana Darboe have started his medical as a Nurse assistant in one of a private hospital in Gambia, he was given an opportunity to undergo hospital base training program in radiography imaging for 6 months which he successful completed in December 2009. In 2010, Ansumana Darboe joined the Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia Pneumococcal Surveillance Project in Basse Field Station as Radiography Assistant a position he held until 2011, when he was promoted to Technologist Position with a Supervising role for X-ray assistant trainees undergoing on the job training. In 2018, Ansumana was award by RAD-AID INTERNATIONAL to pursue course on Global Health Radiology from April-December, program he completed awaiting project planning and implementation in bringing radiology services to the underserved areas of The Gambia. In 2012, Ansumana in collaboration with his community(Sankandi Village), initiated community mangrove conservation and restoration through planting mangrove propagules on degraded former mangrove forest that have suffered degradation and removal over the past three decades. Today more than 2 Million mangrove propagules were planted, in 2018, Ansumana have worn an award from Earthwatch Shulman Award from Earthwatch Institute Europe to continue the community mangrove conservation and restoration, conduct research on growth and survival of trees planted by students from Edinburgh Napier university, and start a community beekeeping demonstration pilot project to create environmental business opportunity for job opportunities for youth and women, a program that has trained more than 20 women and youth on modern beekeeping demonstration. Again, through the support from Reforestation World Switzerland, his organisation(Sankandi Youth Development Association) have a pending project on Solar training for drying and cooking purposes. This project will reduce women exposure to smoke during cooking and reduce pressure on the forest, as the community rely heavily on forest for fuel and energy.