By Buba Gagigo
On the sideline of the UCLG World Congress underway in South Korea, Banjul Mayor, Rohey Malick Lowe has secured 15 scholarship pages for Gambians to study in Turkey.
The 15 packages have been pledged by Mayors of Gebze and Konya cities in Turkey. The Mayor of Gebze City in Turkey, Zinnur BuyukGoz promised 10; while the Mayor of Konya City, Uğur İbrahim Altay pledged five scholarship pages for Gambian students.
“I wanted to take about ten students to Turkey to study Arabic and English. We (the Mayor of Gebze in Turkey and Mayor Lowe) arranged everything, but when it was time for them to fly to Turkey, then COVID-19 came. Now, we want to send them again, we want to start the preparation but I want to ask whether they can come, or we can select new people to add on them,” Mayor Lowe asked.
Through an interpreter, the Mayor of Gebze City in Turkey, Zinnur BuyukGoz, promised to receive the students and give them all sponsorships.
“They can come, our promise is our promise, and we will fulfil it,” he responded.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Konya City, Uğur İbrahim Altay, also promised Mayor Lowe that he would give scholarships to five students who are currently studying in Turkey, but facing problems paying their fees.
The promise by the Mayor of Konya City came after the Banjul Mayor appealed to him to help the Gambian students in Turkey who are currently facing tuition fee challenge.
The Mayor of Banjul, also the President of REFELA Africa (the Network of Local Women Elected in Africa) currently attending the occasion in Daejeon, South Korea delivered her first session address on Tuesday.
The session scheduled to end on 14th October, is being attended by the President of UCLG Africa, Hon. Ms Fatimetou Mint Abdel Malick; Mayor of Miami-Dade, Florida; among others.