SUMMARY OF FINDING OF GUNJUR AND BRUFUT WOMEN GROUP DISCUSSIONS
The focus group discussions for Brufut were held in a forum chaired by one of the Lady Presidents of the six women groups in Brufut The Gunjur women focus discussions took place in the compound of the head of one of the seven organisations. This chapter summarises the salient issues which were raised during the group discussions Various speakers at both group discussions raised, basically, the same issues. During the group discussions various speakers deliberated on the aims and objectives of their organisation The most important of all during the group discussions was the highlights on the constraints ranging from administrative bottlenecks to inadequate working capital for groups, as well as lack of co-ordinated mechanism for their groups The summary of the findings from both group discussions is as follows:
Generally, all the organisations lack an appropriate storage facility. The produce of these women organisations are mostly perishable goods, for example, tomatoes, vegetables and fresh fish. The organisations are vulnerable to losses, particularly when they could not sell all the goods taken to the market. Since the storage facility is not available, the goods spoil and this results in huge losses of income to the individuals and the organisations |
There is lack of coordination among the organisations. The neighbouring communities, such as Sukuta, Madiana, to name a few, have women organisations engaged in the same activities carried out by the organisations in Brufut and Gunjur. That creates a glut of fish and vegetables to the extend that one is forced to sell at a loss. This could have been avoided if an appropriate coordination exists among the organisations. |
The road from Brufut and Gunjur to Greater Banjul Area where the goods are transported to for sale at the market is in a poor state. This coupled with the scarcity of vehicles that ply these roads could delay one for hours on end to look for a vehicle to transport the goods to the market. In the process, most of the perishable goods go bad, thus resulting in huge loss of income to individuals and to the organisations |
All the organisations have mentioned the need for one sort of training or the other. It was very obvious that these groups lack managerial skills in administration, loan management and so on. Organisations in the cottage industry for instance, Tie and Dye, identified the need to be trained in modern technology in order to produce quality and quantity Tie and Dye. All the other organisations have identified management training need to improve the management skill of the organisation's members. |
Working Capital for most of the organisations is grossly inadequate. The organisations depended on the meagre resources contributed by the members and the occasional assistance from NGOs and Government Departments. This has resulted in the low level of productivity and low capacity to expand and generate more income. |
From the discussions, it can been seen that the major constraints of the organisations have been the lack of management skills, inadequate working capital, and the difficulties encountered during the transportation of their goods to market. These constraints have been echoed by one speaker after another The groups welcomed efforts by Government or NGOs to help alleviate some, if not all, the constraints
Present at both group discussions held at Brufut and Gunjur are:
BRUFUT |
GUNJUR |
• Brufut Manjang |
• Nnamina Manjang |
• Makuta Manneh |
• Mai Kebbeh |
• Pnicu Manneh |
• Joko Sonko |
• Khaddy Jallow |
• Aja Mama Kaddy Bajo |
• Sibo Touray |
|
• Mbasire Jammeh |
|
• Soko Janneh |
|
• Noir Manjang |
|
• Banju Dampha |
|
• Kaddy Bojang |
|
• Awa Jallow |
|
• Yamundow Corr |
