Gambian conservationist Efforts recognized by Queen Elizabeth

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One of Gambia’s foremost conservationist, Momodou Inkeh Bah has been awarded the prestigious Points of Lights Award by Her Majesty the Queen of England through the British High Commissioner Mr. David Belgrove in recognition of his efforts to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change through Climate Action.

The young  Conservationist joins a list of personalities given the Commonwealth Point of Light 200 award for their dedication to conserving the environment.

Points of Lights are outstanding individual volunteers – people who are making a change in their community.

Every week day the UK Prime Minister recognises an inspirational volunteer with the Daily Point of Light award.

“I dedicate this award to the community of Sintet, CAPED staff and Volunteers who for over a decade led the restoration efforts. I thank you all for the support and encouragement, the 36 year old Mr Bah told Alkamba Times from his base in Banjul.

Momodou Inkeh Bah is the founder of ‘Community Action Platform on Environment and Development (CAPED)’, a grassroots non-profit organisation working ro restore degraded mangrove and forest areas in the Lower River, one of the main tributaries of the River Gambia.

Momodou’s initiative has planted over three million mangrove plants and created over five kilometres of forest, repairing damaged ecosystems and providing safe habitats for wildlife.

The initiative is also helping to create jobs for local people, ensuring that poor rural families have better protection from the impacts of climate change by preserving vulnerable coastlines from heavy storms and erosion.

“As I humbly accept this award, I would like to make some important comments. Combating climate change will need all our leadership, commitment, and ingenuity. This is not going to be easy. Nonetheless, I want to emphasise that, by facing up to this crisis, we have been given an exciting opportunity to make progress on a wide range of sustainable development issues”.

“It is an opportunity we must seize. By pursuing a green economy based on efficient and equitable resource use, we will cut down greenhouse gas emissions and protect essential ecosystems”, he said, adding:

“At the same time, we will reinvigorate national economies, create employment and livelihood opportunities, improve human well-being and achieve our sustainable development targets.”

David Belgrove OBE, British High Commissioner to The Gambia who presented Queens award to Momodou said: “Momodou Inkeh is a shining example of how individuals can make a positive impact. His innovation and commitment benefits The Gambia, its people and the Earth’s environment as a whole.”

First established by President George H. W. Bush in 1990, over 6,000 US Points of Lights have been recognised in the USA.

The UK Points of Lights award was initiated in partnership with the US programme and launched at 10 Downing Street in April 2014.

Since then hundreds of people have been named Points of Light by the Prime Minister, highlighting an enormous array of innovative and inspirational volunteering across the length and breadth of Britain and around the world.

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Mr. Sainey M.K. Marenah is a Prominent Gambian journalist, founding editor The Alkamba Times and formerly head of communications at the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and Communications and PR Consultant for The Gambia Pilot Program, under Gamworks. Mr. Marenah served as the Social media Strategist and Editor at Gambia Radio and Television Services. He is also the Banjul Correspondent for Voice of America Radio. Sainey is a human rights and developmental journalist who has carved a strong niche particularly in new media environments in the Gambian media industry. Mr. Marenah began his career as a junior reporter with the Point Newspaper in the Gambia in 2008 and rose through the ranks to become Chief correspondent before moving to The Standard Newspaper also in Banjul as Editorial Assistant and head of News. He is a household name in the Gambia’s media industry having covered some of the most important stories in the former and current government. These include the high profile treason cases including the Trial of Former military chiefs in Banjul in 2009 to 2012. Following his arrest and imprisonment by the former regime of President, Yahya Jammeh in 2014, Marenah moved to Dakar Senegal where he continues to practice Journalism freelancing for various local and international Media organization’s including the BBC, Al-Jazeera, VOA, and ZDF TV in Germany among others. He is the co-Founder of the Banjul Based Media Center for Research and Development; an institution specialized in research and development undertakings. As a journalist and Communication Expert, focused on supporting the Gambia's transitional process, Mr Marenah continues to play a pivotal role in shaping a viable media and communications platform that engages necessary tools and action to increase civic participation and awareness of the needs of transitional governance to strengthen the current move towards democratization. Mr. Marenah has traveled extensively as a professional journalist in both Europe, Africa and United States and attended several local and international media trainings.

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