The newly founded organisation IOGT-Jes Gambia hosted an outstanding and well prepared workshop at the Fifa Goal Project in Banjul. Everyone was sorry that  IP Sven-Olov Carlsson could not participate because of illness. They see his visit just as postponed but not cancelled. 

Participants from IOGT-Jes Guinea-Bissau, IOGT-Jes Senegal and IOGT Sierra Leone welcomed within the IOGT International family. A fresh breeze with young and dedicated volunteers is ready to build up a strong IOGT work in West Africa. On behalf of IOGT International Priska Hauser-Scherer from IOGT Switzerland moderated the workshop aiming to empower the local volunteers. She introduced a new working method, based on democratic and cooperative with creative and visualising elements, to the participants. The method “world café” provides a process of perception with heart and mind. Although the intellectual work was intensive, every participant could follow and actively influence the outcome. To realise how much you know and how easy you can add new knowledge to your experience is joyful and most inspiring.

To use the same word, does not mean, that we are using it the same way. So the participants started to explain to each other, what they mean, when they say PREVENTION. Listening and designing the thoughts and discussion on the paper on the table showed the reflections. Instead of considering the conceptional system they made it really visual. It can mean you stay away from something, or you put a security gap between you and the danger or you protect yourself actively to hinder the danger to attack. After gathering of prevention activities were very impressed and worried by the reports, they did not have access to so far, of international institutes about the drug trafficking.

The exchange about what you need to have a good functioning organisation and where to find funds showed that established IOGT organisations could support the new members with valuable proposals. By this time the journalist of the Gambian newspaper “Observer” had already paid anational television brought a highly regarded report on the main 8 o'clock news on Sunday evening. Dr Lamin Sidibeh, a senior lecturer, psychologist and head of the Social Science of the University of the Gambia, graced the workshop with his presence and had a review about the reasons of alcohol and drug use on the Gambia.

Sharing the most important needs of young people and and installing a future information and cooperation concept among IOGT in West Africa brought the workshop to an end. Before closing the gathering, the participants decided concordantly on a nomination of an African Board member to the IOGT Congress in 2010.

The sky is the limit
The euphoric spirit of being able to work with an excellent new method made IOGT-Jes Guinea- Bissau, Gambia and Senegal plan to implement this within short time in their own organisation.

Following the workshop a delegation of different IOGT organisations met the National Drug Enforcement Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Bun Sanneh and his team. Surprisingly he knew exactly what IOGT stands for, as he was a member himself in former times. He assured his support to IOGT-Jes Gambia as a legal organisation and imbedded in an international organisation.

To top the excellent experience in the Gambia the Minister of The Interior and NGO Affairs, welcomed a delegation of IOGT members from different countries. He asked the heads of departments and the head of department NDEA to share the meeting. With ease and big joy we learned that the minister and the Gambian government is supporting the prevention work of IOGT and the Minister expressed his high appreciation.