Sankandi Youth Development Association SYDA

30/08/2026

30/08/2026

Investing in Women and Community Livelihoods.

As part of the Sankandi Youth Development Association (SYDA) / Nnaa Saama Mankolou – Mangroves for Our Future (NSM-M4OF) Project, we continue to invest in community resilience and sustainable livelihoods alongside ecosystem restoration.

With support from Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy, we handed over a newly equipped borehole system for the Sankandi community women’s garden to the President of the Women’s Association, in the presence of the Alkalo of Sankandi and members of the Village Development Committee (VDC).

The facility includes:

💧 6 tap heads for improved water distribution
💧 6,000-litre water storage capacity
🌱 A perimeter fence, also supported through the project, to protect the garden.

Reliable access to water will help the women sustain vegetable production, improve food security and strengthen household livelihoods.

The involvement of the Women’s Association, Alkalo and VDC reinforces the importance of community ownership, leadership and accountability in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the intervention.

Our sincere appreciation to Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy for supporting these practical investments that connect ecosystem conservation with community livelihoods and women’s empowerment.

Restore. Empower. Build resilience. Sustain livelihoods.

The Association for Coastal Ecosystem Services
Ministry of Environment-MECCNAR
UNDP The Gambia
FAO Gambia

30/08/2026

Strengthening Community Forest Protection.

As part of the Sankandi Youth Development Association (SYDA) / Nnaa Saama Mankolou – Mangroves for Our Future (NSM-M4OF) Project, we continue to recognize that restoration must go hand in hand with protection and community stewardship.

With support from Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy, we handed over four patrol bicycles to the Sankandi Village Development Committee (VDC) to strengthen the work of its Environment Sub-Committee.

The bicycles are intended to improve their ability to patrol the community's forests and restoration areas, helping to minimize illegal encroachment, logging and other activities that threaten our natural resources.

This is an important part of our approach: communities must not only participate in restoring ecosystems—they must also have the means to protect them.

Restore. Protect. Empower. Sustain.

This is our journey toward a healthier ecosystem and a more resilient Sankandi community.

Ministry of Environment-MECCNAR
The Association for Coastal Ecosystem Services
UNDP The Gambia
FAO Gambia
GEF Small Grants Programme

03/08/2026

07/07/2026

07/07/2026

05/07/2026

🌿In the Dominican Republic, women are leading efforts to protect forests and promote community development through ecotourism.

Ana María started out as a foreman and is now the Chief Administrator of the Saltos de Jima Natural Monument. Find her story here: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/06/24/cuidar-el-bosque-ecoturismo-fuente-empleo-republica-dominicana

05/07/2026

Conservation Creates Opportunities.

The future of the Kiang West Peninsula lies in protecting its extraordinary biodiversity while creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

Through the Nnaa Samaa Mankolou (NSM) Programme, SYDA is developing an innovative eco-tourism initiative with partners that will promote wildlife conservation, nature tourism, environmental education, and community enterprise.

Together, we can build a future where nature thrives and communities prosper.

Gambia Tourism Board
gambia tourism forum
UK in The Gambia
UNDP The Gambia
Ministry of Environment-MECCNAR

15/06/2026

In 2018, we witnessed these rice fields (faros) in Jattaba, Jiffarong and Sankandi being actively cultivated by women farmers. These fields were productive, supporting household food security and providing a vital source of income for rural families.

Today, many of these same fields have been abandoned due to increasing saltwater intrusion. What is particularly heartbreaking is that the women did not simply give up. Using their own limited resources, they constructed improvised sandbag barriers to prevent saline water from entering their farms. These community-led efforts reflected resilience, determination, and a commitment to protecting their livelihoods.

Unfortunately, as shown in these photographs, many of those sandbag barriers have deteriorated and collapsed over time, leaving the fields exposed to continued saltwater intrusion. The result is widespread soil salinization, declining productivity, and the loss of valuable agricultural land.

This is not just an environmental issue, it is a livelihood crisis affecting women, food security, and climate resilience in our communities.

The situation calls for urgent investment in climate adaptation measures, including durable anti-salt intrusion infrastructure, improved water management systems, ecosystem restoration, and support for climate-resilient agriculture.

The women of Jiffarong and Sankandi have already shown their willingness to act. What they need now is the technical and financial support to protect their farms and secure their future.