I worked with women groups on development activities. I spent 3 years in the upper river saloun, and six years in the Kiangs trying to share knowledge, ideas and opportunities, as well as to work out possible solutions which would be acceptable to the farmers. This is what is meant by the participatory approach, i.e. teamwork among change agents, and farmers to ensure the adaptability of proposed technologies. This project phased out in December 2001 due to funding problems. The experience gained and my interaction with development-oriented people enabled me to develop interest in development work. I attended on the job training and a series of workshops with MDFTs within the country which indeed developed my capacity. Support and encouragement received from my family made the WARD training possible for me, this has broadened my knowledge and improved my skills to a great extent. I have now picked up a new job with UNICEF/DCD, which is tremendously interesting and challenging. Thanks to the training I received from WARD.

Gibril Touray, WARD Participant
I am Gibril Touray, Supervisor/Editor at Ndungu Kebbeh Literacy Centre, ABWE Mission and WARD family member. I wish to comment on the Community Development Foundation course; that is module one of the RCDP COURSE, which I completed sometime ago. Before going further I would like to give a brief explanation of how I got into this course.

I heard about this course through a radio announcement. First, I was ready for a course in another institution but when I went to the WARD Centre it was very interesting. I read the brochures and they prompted me to join the course because they offered the right course for my position. After completing I have realized that this course has equipped me with knowledge and skills in many areas as far as what the course consists of. It has improved my work, as well my relations with the people there and in my home. A few days after the completion, I was among trainers of a second year facilitators training workshop. During this training I applied the various facilitation techniques that I actually acquired from this course. I know that these techniques actually worked well, because the trainees told me during the workshop that they really understand and enjoy my sessions. I was delighted when I heard that. This means the skill is working as expected.

I would like to use this opportunity to give special thanks to all the facilitators of the CDF course; to name a few Baturu Mboge, Mam Samba Joof and Mama Janneh.

Momodou Secka, WARD Graduate
My involvement with WARD has allowed me the opportunity to widen my experience and be of better use to my fellow men. After being a livestock assistant by profession over the years I happened to join the NGO community and attained on the job training and gathered some experience in Community Development.

Fortunately, I had my first formal training in Community Development with WARD, where I met with experienced development practitioners from different walks of life. Sharing knowledge and skills in an atmosphere of give and take. The program is also run in such an organized manner by it's well experienced facilitators from The Gambia and Canada. WARD covers a wide range of development technologies in a well-structured curriculum. With the knowledge, skills and experience I acquired through the WARD program I was able to build capacity in knowing rural community better and plan and implement sustainable projects with them. Examples of such projects are; Women Vegetable Gardens, Ram fattening Project for women livestock farmers, Skills Training and Consumer Shops for Women, Village savings and Credit Associations.

With the participatory approach the WARD program is being conducted through it's equipped facilitation techniques, development of skills in various aspects such as public speech, Project Planning and Implementation, Proposal Writing, Monitoring and Evaluating Projects and Report Writing.
Further more I happened to be one of the best students during the 2001-2002 diploma program in Development Studies at the Pan-African Institute for Development, West Africa following the knowledge, skills and wealth of experience I acquired from the WARD program. Having been a good resource, sharing with other colleagues from different nations, I managed to capture three awards.
At work, I endeavour to contribute immensely on administrative and project matters, both at head office and field levels. As such I sometimes represent FORUT-Gambia in several development forms and serve as a resource in my organization and the division at large.
WARD has come as an opportunity for all community development practitioners in The Gambia and sub-region. Thus, to build peoples' capacities and acquaint them with new development technologies such as the Appreciative Enquiry and Asset Based Community Development, in order to enhance sustainable development in rural communities.
Finally, I wish to urge all my colleagues in the development area, both the civil service and the NGO community to seize the opportunity to enrol as a participant in the WARD diploma program, to excel oneself and contribute in the fight to eradicate poverty and attain sustainable development.

Saikou Touray, WARD Graduate
Saikou Touray is my name; I was born and grew up in Sukuta village, Kombo North, Western Division of The Gambia. Sukuta is a semi urban area; if you are born there you are expected to go to school in the formal education system.

My mother is an indigenous of Sukuta, her surname, Cham. Every Gambian knows that to be indigenous of Sukuta, you have to be Cham or Bojang or be parented by either. My father's mother was also indigenous (Bojang) but his father was a settler from Salikenni village, Central Badibu, North Bank Division of The Gambia, a clan wood called Morri fing Kunda meaning (the home of black marabous). Again the surname says it all (Touray) "Touray Ngana Manding Marri" simply meaning, Touray the noble marabous of "Manding" empire. Touray is among those few surnames said to have been converted to Islam at its first introduction in West Africa there by gaining the title "Touray Ngana Manding Morri" (noble marabous of Manding Empire). In those days Touray's would not put their children through formal Western Education system believing that it will lead to betrayal of Islam and promotion of other religions.

My father, being one of the last descendants of this unfounded ideology, did not put any of his children through the formal Western Education system. When I reached schooling age, my uncles on my mother's side put pressure on him to send me to school. In protest he entrusted me to a marabou in Niumi Lamin, North Bank division, to read Quran.
I returned to Sukuta three years later unceremoniously when I was just able to find my own way back. He warned that any attempt to bring back the issue of sending me to school by my uncles, will result to my disappearance, because he will send me to a place so far that I will never find my way back. My hopes for going to school ended but my desire to educate myself sprang.
In my early twenties I choose to become a vehicle apprentice to become a driver. In the process, I was taking lessons for English from some of my friends. Three years - apprentice. Two years Kier International - Driver. Three years Lous Berger - Driver. Ten years, EC funded Programmes Upper River Division Integrated Programme (URDIP) and Village Initiative Support Activity (VISA) respectively - Driver. Ten years with EC were well served and I was given an opportunity to change my career. This came from recognition of some of my special assignments such as assessing motorcycles and submitting comprehensive reports while still a driver.
On this faithful day, John Murphy then Programme advisor, ask me whether I will accept posting to Kerewan with the promotion, an offer I did not hesitate to accept. It was suggested I take computer classes to enhance my clerical requirements in my new job. Upon completion of this course I suggested that, since there were months to commence my new position, I be allowed to do GCE O' level private. This was reluctantly accepted on the grounds that my new job was time demanding and I should submit quarterly, semi and annual reports. Doing GCE ordinary level private with that is nearly practically impossible. In the end I got it my way. I chose English Language and English Literature. Four months before the exams I was already in my new position (Field Assistant). My exam results were good and this increased my employer's confidence in me. June 1999 mark the end of that 5-year programme, VISA (Village Initiative Support Activity) and my contract. We enter into transition to another programme SDRD (Support to Decentralised Rural Development). With EC funded programmes your reengagement depends on your pass performance. I was reengaged and posted to Kerewan again this time as an Assistant Trainer - Projects. A position, which I still hold today. This is a bigger position and responsibility. Agreeably, big responsibilities should go with big academic qualifications. My new portfolio is training.
Now that I have a good position and a lot of responsibility what is left is to deliver. My employer has done its bit; the task is now left with me to deliver. How can I deliver? I have big experience but backed by what? Just GCE O level passes? Is that enough? Obviously no. I started searching for suitable course to my situation but to no avail. Any community development related course on part time was nowhere to be seen. I was desperate to do something.
I even desperately attempted to do Certificate course on construction but they would not allow part time. At the end I gave up.
I first heard of WARD (West Africa Rural Development Project) in case you don't know, from a friend working with DCD (Department of Community Development).
I took it to be one of those imaginary proposals that will never take off the ground. But since it is worth trying I contracted the person my friend ask me contact, Mr Jobateh of DCD. I left his office with added hope. At least I know now that this is real.
I applied with scepticism again thinking that the enrolment may be whom you know not who is qualified. When I was called I thought I was going for an interview but surprisingly that was the first day of the course. This is one of the most important days of my life.
I met complete different people from those I have been making endless telephone call to enquire progress. I thought DCD was responsible. From where I was sitting, I was uncomfortable because I was not interviewed.
I raised my hand to declare this and the response was, yes we knew but you are over qualified. I was happy to be proven wrong on 2 speculations. · This may be one of those imaginary proposals that will never take place. · This may be whom you know, not who is qualified
Participant Composition
When participants were ask to introduce themselves, I was surprise to learn that teachers, revenue collectors, business men, former service men and even people with no experience in my then definition of Community Development worker, were among the participants. This is without an element of jealousy I must admit. I said to myself what am I doing here? What has a teacher got to say here let alone than a revenue collector? I feel demoted, belittled and discouraged. But as days pass by I came to realise that human being, being a thinking being has a lot of potentials, and this is not visible superficially. I came to realise that people whom I thought are going to be listening to me, picked where I stuck with all my pride.
They proved to be better than me. This discovery helped shape me well around my field. This should not be limited to our learning environment but in our dealings with local communities. It has since then become my slogan as quoted in the course materials:
NO ONE IS COMPLETELY STUPID AND NO ONE EVER HAS ALL THE ANSWERS.
After all, later in the definition of community development worker I came to ask myself who is more of a community development worker than a teacher?
Facilitation Style
The most impressive thing about WARD Project is the facilitation style. Visiting and local facilitators are well trained and largely responsible for this positive state of affairs. It is very impressive to watch local facilitators facilitating sessions with such a skill and determination. The process is embarrassment free. Such is the fruit of a well-trained facilitator. No comment is turned down on the bases that it is incorrect. This encourages contributions from participants as learning and sharing takes place.
The Course Content
Before WARD, I had never been on any formal community development training but this does not mean that I cannot estimate the value of the materials. Also from others who have attended other trainings, as trainers or trainees, have spoken positively of the content. A facilitator told me he was involved in developing materials for a comparable course, but the content is of a low standard to that of the WARD Centre.
One personal observation I have made is that, the content, in addition to its teaching strengths, has carefully put into consideration the traditional and cultural values of West Africa. To me this is very important because in dealing with adults and the rural community at large you must pay attention to cultural, traditional and religious values. In the Human Relations module a lot of emphasis was placed on the conduct of a rural development worker. How to talk to elders and women and how to approach issues. In our own settings, these were what were thought at our initiation sites when entering in man wood.
Skills like conflict management are of great importance to community development workers. Most conflicts initiate from community or individual levels. But because lack of skill to manage these conflicts leads to full blown conflicts, which result in the deaths of hundreds or even thousands.
Economics and Development module explains in detail how our economies are run. Some of us were laymen in this area before but today I can ague over it reasonably.
Is this course useful to me?
I will leave you to answer for me. Rank wise I was 3rd senior by two ranks:
1. Technical Assistant. MA Holder
2. Project Trainer. HND or Diploma holder
3. Assistant Projects Trainer (myself) no specific standard set.

The only training I've ever had is from WARD.