ActionAid International The Gambia

02/06/2026

Together with our partners, we today, held a Technical Committee Meeting of the Youth Promotion Initiative (YPI) Project in preparation for the Steering Committee Meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF), the YPI Project promotes youth empowerment, social inclusion, and sustainable development, with a strong focus on supporting young people and marginalised groups.

The meeting provided an opportunity to review progress made so far, reflect on key achievements and lessons learned, address implementation challenges, and identify priorities for the next phase of the project.

The discussions emphasised the importance of collaboration, accountability, and shared commitment among partners in creating opportunities for young people to contribute to peacebuilding and community development actively.

By working together, we are helping to build a more inclusive future where everyone has the opportunity to participate, thrive, and succeed.

27/05/2026

As Muslims in The Gambia and around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha, ActionAid International The Gambia extends heartfelt wishes of peace, compassion, unity, and shared sacrifice to all.

May this special occasion strengthen the spirit of kindness, togetherness, and hope within our communities.

Eid Mubarak to you and your loved ones.

24/05/2026

ActionAid International The Gambia, through the European Union-funded SAPOF Project, has commenced its first organic fertiliser production at the newly established compost production chambers in Sare Birom, Upper Niumi, North Bank Region, Dalaba, Niamina West, Central River Region, South, and Balanghar, Lower Saloum, Central River Region, North.

The three chambers are expected to produce about 120,000 tons of organic fertiliser during this first production cycle.

To encourage the use of organic fertilisers and support sustainable farming, ActionAid will purchase the fertiliser and redistribute it to communities.

The initiative reflects our commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture through the principles of the circular economy, transforming organic waste into valuable resources that benefit farmers, communities, and the environment.

European Union in The Gambia

23/05/2026

ActionAid International The Gambia remains committed to promoting inclusive and people-centred investment policies through meaningful engagement with lawmakers and key stakeholders.

Our recent engagement with The Gambia National Assembly Select Committee on Trade on Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) created an important space to examine how investment agreements can better safeguard national interests, strengthen accountability, and contribute to sustainable development in The Gambia.

As trade and investment continue to influence the country’s future, collaboration between citizens, civil society, and policymakers remains essential to ensuring these agreements translate into real benefits for communities, workers, women, and young people.

We commend the Select Committee on Trade and all stakeholders for fostering dialogue on an issue with far-reaching economic and social importance for the country.

Read more via Askanwi Media...

ActionAid The Gambia (AAITG) held an engagement forum with the National Assembly Select Committee on Trade on Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) on Friday, 22nd May 2026. The forum, held at the National Assembly in Banjul, brought together key stakeholders to discuss the implications of BITs on t

23/05/2026

Empowering young voices today for a stronger democracy tomorrow

ActionAid International The Gambia’s Local Rights Programme Nine (LRP9) Office in Juffereh, North Bank Region, has begun a three-day civic education training session that brings together 23 young people from Global Platform The Gambia, the Regional Youth Committee of NBR, and Persons with Disabilities.

As The Gambia approaches another electoral cycle, the training is creating space for young people to understand better their civic rights, responsibilities, and role in shaping democratic governance.

Facilitated by the National Council for Civic Education - The Gambia (NCCE), the training focuses on accountability, inclusion, peaceful participation, and the influence of informed citizenship in building a fairer and more democratic society.

Young people are not just participants in democracy, they are key drivers of change. Investing in civic education and inclusive participation, AAITG continues to support a generation that is informed, engaged, and ready to make their voices count.

15/05/2026

Driving inclusive governance and sustainable development for a stronger and more resilient Gambia 🇬🇲

The UNPBF-YPI Project through ActionAid International The Gambia and partners has successfully concluded the review and validation of Strategic Plans for three Area Councils ( Mansakonko Area Council, LRR, Kerewan Area Council, Janjanbureh Area Council, bringing together stakeholders from across the regions in a shared commitment to accountable leadership, community empowerment, peacebuilding, and national development.

Hon. Landing B. Sanneh, Chairman of Mansakonko Area Council, described the strategic plan as a critical turning point for local councils, emphasizing the importance of transparency, effective implementation, and measurable impact in improving the lives of communities. He reaffirmed that the confidence entrusted by development partners must be matched with responsible leadership, accountability, and tangible results for the people.

Hon. Sulayman Sawaneh, Chairman of Janjangbureh Area Council, commended the initiative and assured stakeholders of the council’s strong commitment to implementing the strategic plan in line with the aspirations and priorities of rightholders, particularly youth and women.

The Executive Director of Actionaid Gambia Ndella Faye-Colley underscored the urgent need to continue advancing the agenda of rural communities, stressing that even within limited resources, investments must translate into opportunities, dignity, and sustainable development outcomes for the population.

As we move from planning to implementation, this milestone serves as a call to action for institutions, partners, youth, women, and communities to work collectively towards inclusive governance, strengthened local systems, and sustainable national progress where no one is left behind.

Together, we can transform strategies into action, challenges into opportunities, and commitments into lasting impact for The Gambia.



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Ministry of Youth & Sports
Activista The Gambia
Global Platform - The Gambia
Safe Home for Migrants Association - SaHMA

14/05/2026

Transforming Local Governance: Three Councils Validate Inclusive Strategic Development Plans

The UNPBF-YPI Project continues to strengthen inclusive local governance by supporting the review and update of the strategic plans of Mansakonko Area Council, LRR, Kerewan Area Council, and Janjanbureh Area Council to ensure they are more gender-sensitive and youth-friendly.

ActionAid International The Gambia and partners converged in Mansakonko for a strategic review and validation session of the three strategic development plans, reaffirming a collective commitment to inclusive governance, youth participation, and gender-responsive development across communities.

Chairman - Mansakonko Area Council, Landing B. Sanneh, welcomed the initiative and expressed appreciation to ActionAid and implementing partners for their continued efforts in strengthening local governance and regional development to better serve communities and improve local service delivery.

Executive Director ActionAidInternationalTheGambia, Ndella Faye-Colley, reiterated ActionAid’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with local government agencies to empower and meaningfully include young people in strategic development processes. She emphasized that every strategic plan should be gender-inclusive, youth-friendly, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of communities.

Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth & Sports Hon. Bulli SM Dibba applauded the initiative and underscored the importance of realistic and actionable strategic plans that effectively guide local governance operations to address community needs, with particular focus on youth and women. He further urged local government agencies to operationalize the strategic plans in their day-to-day work to better serve their communities.

As part of ActionAid’s CSP VI commitment to advancing social justice, inclusive governance, and meaningful youth participation, stakeholders are encouraged to continue championing policies and development frameworks that leave no one behind; especially women and young people at the grassroots level.

Together, we can build resilient, inclusive, and accountable local governance systems that respond to the voices and priorities of the people.



fans
National Youth Council - The Gambia
Activista The Gambia
UNDP The Gambia
Global Platform - The Gambia
Safe Home for Migrants Association - SaHMA
Ministry of Lands, Regional Government & Religious Affairs
NGO Affairs The Gambia

13/05/2026

The monitoring visit of the UNPBF-YPI Project successfully concluded with a high-level debriefing session led by PS-MOYS Hon. Bulli SM Dibba ActionAid International The Gambia SMT, in collaboration with the Project Steering and Technical Committee comprising, United Nations Peacebuilding Fund Secretariat, NGO Affairs The Gambia, Ministry of Public Service, Administrative Reform, Policy Coordination and Delivery (MoPS), Department of Youth and Sports Ministry of Youth & Sports, and the National Youth Council - The Gambia.

The engagement provided an important platform to reflect on key achievements, lessons learned, emerging impacts, and strategic recommendations aimed at strengthening youth participation, inclusive governance, and sustainable community development across The Gambia.

As the monitoring mission concluded, stakeholders, partners, and community representatives reaffirmed their collective commitment to advancing youth empowerment, strengthening local governance systems, and promoting sustainable peacebuilding initiatives nationwide.

The debriefing session highlighted significant progress and transformative outcomes achieved through the project’s interventions, particularly in promoting youth leadership, institutional collaboration, accountability, and community resilience.

Key achievements highlighted during the engagement include:

✅ Strengthened trust, coordination, and engagement with Regional Youth Committees
✅ Improved civic responsibility and tax compliance within communities
✅ Enhanced collaboration and partnerships with community-led organisations and local actors
✅ Increased accountability and dialogue between rightholders and duty bearers
✅ Development of strategic plans to guide youth-centered interventions and local actions
✅ Establishment of follow-up mechanisms and task force coordination on TAC recommendations
✅ Strengthened unity, leadership, and collective action among young people

The mission also generated strategic recommendations aimed at deepening impact and ensuring long-term sustainability:

🔹 Organise more youth gatherings and engagement platforms to strengthen participation and social cohesion
🔹 The National Youth Council to appoint dedicated centre managers to improve coordination, service delivery, and operational effectiveness
🔹 Promote greater and more meaningful youth inclusion in decision-making processes
🔹 Strengthen communication and coordination between the National Youth Council and Regional Youth Committees (RYCs)
🔹 Deepen collaboration between regional coordinators and regional youth structures to enhance grassroots impact

Reflecting on the broader impact of the project, PS-MOYS Hon. Bulli SM Dibba underscored the importance of mindset transformation among young people:

“Some of the most powerful impacts are not always physically visible. One of the greatest achievements of this project is its ability to transform the mindset of young people; inspiring responsibility, leadership, resilience, and hope for a better future.” — Hon. Bulli SM Dibba, PS-MOYS

The monitoring visit reaffirmed that investing in young people and strengthening inclusive community systems remain essential pathways toward sustainable peace, accountable governance, and national development.

Together, we continue to build empowered communities where young people are not only beneficiaries of development, but active drivers of transformation, innovation, and lasting progress.



fans
UNDP The Gambia
Activista The Gambia
Global Platform - The Gambia
Safe Home for Migrants Association - SaHMA
Mansakonko Area Council, LRR
Kuntaur area council
Kerewan Area Council
Upper River Regional Youth Committee
Ministry of Lands, Regional Government & Religious Affairs
Muhammed Lamin Saidykhan
ActionAid

12/05/2026

The monitoring visit by the SMT and the Steering Committee of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund – Youth Promotion Initiative (YPI) Project continues to reveal powerful stories of transformation, resilience, and inclusive development across communities in The Gambia.

Through targeted investments in youth leadership, entrepreneurship, governance, and civic participation, the project is not only changing individual lives but also strengthening local institutions and creating pathways for sustainable peace and community resilience.

Today’s engagement focused on Reflection Action Circles with District Youth Committees, economic empowerment support through start-up kits for vulnerable youth, Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) trainings for council staff and community leaders, and advocacy efforts toward securing a 5% council budget allocation dedicated to youth initiatives.

The impact of these interventions was strongly echoed through inspiring testimonies from beneficiaries and local leaders:

“I refused to allow stigma to define my future. After returning home with a health condition and facing rejection from society, I chose to rebuild my life through business. Today, entrepreneurship has restored my confidence, dignity, and hope for a better future.”
— Alpha Jallow, Chamen Nianija

“Before this project, our youth committee struggled to function effectively. Today, we are developing annual action plans, holding regular monthly meetings, and actively contributing to community development. Young people now feel heard, organized, and empowered.” — Youth Representative, Buduc

“This initiative has completely shifted our approach to governance and youth participation. We now see young people not as beneficiaries alone, but as strategic partners in local development and peacebuilding.” — Hon. Saihou Jawara, Chairman, Kuntaur Area Council

“The HRBA training transformed my understanding of leadership and institutional development. It helped me recognize the hidden potential within my staff and the importance of creating inclusive systems that empower people to thrive.” — Hon. Landing B. Sanneh, Chairman, Mansakonko Area Council

These stories are a testament to the fact that when communities invest in youth empowerment, inclusive governance, and human-centered development, the results go beyond projects — they create lasting change, restore hope, strengthen institutions, and build more peaceful and resilient societies.

The UNPBF-YPI Project continues to stand as a model for collaborative, community-driven development that places young people at the center of sustainable peace and national progress.



Ministry of Youth & Sports
National Youth Council - The Gambia
Mansakonko Area Council, LRR
Kuntaur area council
Activista The Gambia
Global Platform - The Gambia
Safe Home for Migrants Association - SaHMA
Muhammed Lamin Saidykhan
GRTS TV
QTV Gambia
The Alkamba Times
fans
UNDP The Gambia
CRR Youths FORUM
NBR Youth Committee

12/05/2026

For years, Fatou Konteh of Sey K***a, Niamina Dankunku, has shown great strength and determination in securing a better future for her son, Momodou, who lost his sight at a young age.
Despite hardship, stigma, and limited resources, Fatou never stopped believing in his right to education and a brighter future.

Today, her determination is beginning to bear fruit.
Through ActionAid International The Gambia’s Small Ruminant Production Project, Fatou’s family received a livelihood grant of GMD 75,000, which she invested in sheep farming. What started as a single opportunity is now becoming a source of stability, as her livestock continues to multiply.

Fatou never gave up on her son. Today, she has renewed hope, not only for Momodou, but for all her children.

Her journey from struggle to stability reminds us that when families receive the right support, hope is restored, resilience is strengthened, and lives can change.

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