Facts and Figures
- DDF Project Title
- Gambia Parliamentary Newsletter
- DDF Fellow Reference Number
- DDF 33
- Partner in The Gambia
- Gainako Online Newspaper
- Geographical Coverage
- Urban-Rural
- Period
- 2022 – 2023
- DDF Grant
- D300,000
- Cash Contribution
- D53,999
- In-kind Contribution
- D177,500
Challenges and Opportunities
The GPN is a monthly publication focusing exclusively on National Assembly matters. It looks to reverse the lack of permanent engagement between the electorate and their parliamentarians, especially on matters regarding the Constitution and the Budget Making process.
The main challenge for the initiative is lack of financial support which has limited the amount of hard copy prints. Efforts had been made to engage local and international donors based in The Gambia. Unfortunately, this was not successful. Most donations came from GPN media practitioners, National Assembly members and personal contacts.
Yousef Taylor (The Gambia)
DDF 33
Yousef Tailor, a UK trained infrastructure engineer turned journalist, returned home in October 2018 and established Gainako Online News in The Gambia. With a history of political activism while in the diaspora, during dictatorship rule in the country, he sought to play an active role in his country’s new political dispensation and reform process. Yousef is the Editor of Gambia Parliamentary Newsletter (GPN), and General Secretary of the Parliamentary Reporters Association of The Gambia (PRAG).
‘‘The project will bridge the gap between Parliamentarians and their electorate by including the “Voice of the Nation” segment.’’
~ explained Yousef Taylor.
‘‘The GPN has been recognised as a key institution on Parliamentary Reporting and has been invited by two different Parliamentary Organisations to become members.’’
~ explained Yousef Taylor.
About The Project
This undertaking will include capacity building and skills training to improve future GPN publications. Radio programs have also been included to sensitise the masses who may not be able to read and write in English. Ordinary citizens could could also get copies during constituency outreach events organised by parliamentarians or the general public. Also, including a “Voice of the Nation” segment will ensure that parliamentarians receive newsletters which include the concerns and needs of the electorate. Additionally, GPN also serves as a source of reference and research material for the public and will be useful to hold parliamentarians accountable in the future.
DDF Results and Impact
- Produced 10 editions of the Gambia Parliamentary Newsletter.
- Created an online website download portal where all editions can be downloaded for free. A total of 2,591 downloads have been registered since the portal commenced. This demonstrates increased interest in Parliamentary Proceedings.
- Established Social Media presence: Facebook page with 1,576 followers; Twitter with 271 followers; Instagram with 165 followers. A total of 4,603 followers and digital downloads have been made from GPN’s social media and online download portal.
- On Facebook alone, GPN has reached over 226 thousand people. Through regular publication of photos, videos and short stories GPN has continued to reach more and more people every month. In 2022 alone over 152 thousand people were reached and more recently over 73 thousand people have been reached in 2023.
- The link to the main GPN Website Download Portal is https://gainako.com/gpn/ where you can see every single edition online for download.
- A total of 10 media practitioners have published for the GPN including journalists from print newspapers such as Foroyaa and the Point Newspaper, online and TV media such as Gainako Online News and QTV.
- The GPN has been recognised as a key institution on Parliamentary Reporting and has seen two different Parliamentary Organisations inviting the paper to become members. The “Parliamentary Monitoring Organisation of The Gambia” invited GPN to its launching as a member on 14th April 2023. GPN was also invited to the “Engagement Forum” between National Assembly and Civil Society Organisations on 1st September 2023.
- GPN Editor Yusef Taylor was also invited by Parliament’s Joint Committee to deliver a presentation on the Media and the Acute Kidney Injury Outbreak in late 2022. In addition to this MSDG also nominated GPN Editor to deliver a presentation to a Parliamentary Committee on the experiences of a Diaspora Gambian’s right to vote in mid-2023.
