WAVE Gambia

09/04/2026

On April 11, 2026, we will gather at the Westfield Monument to mark April 10 & 11, 2000 — the days Gambian security forces turned on students and protesters, cutting lives short and leaving families with wounds that never closed. Parents are still shedding tears for children whose futures were stolen by the very apparatus meant to protect them.

The evening (6pm–9pm) screens the docudrama _Living with the Scars_, followed by reflection on that incident and its echoes today — state accountability, security sector conduct, youth and gender dynamics in The Gambia.

This commemoration is more than remembrance: it’s a public demand for justice, accountability, and reparations for victims and their families, so memory becomes ground for change, not silence.

Info: +220 7222889 / 7606174 · [email protected]

28/03/2026

At the heart of WAVE Gambia’s work are the victims, their voices, pain, resilience, and truth. Creating space for them to be heard remains central to our mission.

With funding from Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF), WAVE Gambia convened a Talking and Listening Circle in Jambanjelly, bringing together 30 men and women for a powerful moment of dialogue and reflection.

Participants shared the lasting impact of past violations and voiced deep frustration over delayed reparations, raising urgent questions about when the process will truly begin. Concerns around accountability were strongly expressed, alongside growing uncertainty about the full delivery of commitments outlined in the White Paper.

One participant, Dembo Bayo, shared:
"I was physically tortured for three days… and we are still yet to receive reparations."

At WAVE Gambia, we go beyond projects, we listen, we hold space, and we amplify victims’ voices.

Because healing cannot happen in silence.

08/03/2026

Today we celebrate the strength, courage, and impact of women everywhere. 💜

This International Women’s Day, the Women’s Association for Women and Victims Empowerment (WAVE) proudly launches our month-long campaign surrounding the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day: “Give to Gain.”

Throughout this month, we will honor 25 incredible women whose dedication, compassion, and leadership continue to uplift communities and inspire change. Each woman reminds us that when women give their time, their voices, their care, and their courage to others, they do not lose, they gain stronger communities, brighter futures, and a more just world.

Through this campaign, we celebrate women who lead with purpose, serve with heart, and empower others to rise. Their stories are proof that true empowerment grows when women support, uplift, and stand beside one another.

✨ Give to Gain: Empowering Women, Transforming Communities.

Stay with us throughout the month as we highlight the remarkable women who are shaping our society and making a lasting difference.

02/03/2026

Eight years after the abduction of Leah Sharibu from her school in Dapchi, former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has called on the Federal Government to urgently renew efforts to secure her freedom, describing her prolonged captivity as a national tragedy and a stain on the country’s conscience.

Click the link for more: https://dailytrust.com/akande-calls-attention-to-leah-sharibu-8-years-after-her-abduction/?noamp=available

01/03/2026

💐 Today, we open Women’s History Month by honoring the power, resilience, and brilliance of women, past, present, and future.

This month-long observance originated in grassroots advocacy and became a national designation in 1987, created to uplift women whose contributions have too often gone unseen. It is both a celebration and a call to continue the work toward equity, dignity, and justice.

We begin with “Phenomenal Woman," Dr. Maya Angelou’s timeless declaration of self-worth, confidence, and unapologetic womanhood. The poem reminds us that society’s narrow standards do not define power, but by the quiet strength, grace, and knowing we carry within ourselves.

As Dr. Angelou wrote,
“I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”

This Women’s History Month, we celebrate women who lead boldly, love fiercely, and stand firmly in who they are—phenomenal, just as they are.

✨ Happy Women’s History Month ✨

01/03/2026

04/02/2026

WAVE is ably represented by its Snr. Technical Advisor at the Regional Dissemination and Advocaxy Workshop on the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AUCEVAWG) in Dakar.

03/02/2026

The Women's Association for Women and Victims’ Empowerment (WAVE-Gambia) and its Senior Technical Advisor, Priscilla Yagu Ciesay, have achieved historic double recognition as nominees at the prestigious 2026 She Awards, celebrating excellence in women-led social impact and individual leadership. We proudly accept this honour and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with The Gambia's trailblazers. As a women-led force in post-TRRC transitional justice (TJ), we embody “She Defies for Zero Tolerance” theme through survivors' fierce stand against impunity and trauma. WAVE relentlessly engages, enables, and elevates women and victims—channelling their defiance to keep justice alive.

03/02/2026

Under the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFT) project supporting the rehabilitation of victims of torture, WAVE Gambia conducted a personal hygiene awareness session and the distribution of hygiene kits in Kerr Mot Ali (KMA) with 51 children (35 girls and 16 boys) from the exiled Ndigal community, whom we support and enrolled in school in Njaw, alongside 15 parents, including three men.

The session focused on basic personal hygiene and self-care, including cleanliness, healthy daily habits, and menstrual health, to promote the children’s health, dignity, and overall well-being.

As part of the engagement, the children participated in a warm and interactive icebreaker where they shared their dreams and future aspirations. Jamilatou Secka shared her desire to become a doctor, while Ramatoulie Ceesay said she hopes to become a teacher. One of the boys, Muhammed Nasir, expressed his dream of becoming a president. The children shared that they aspire to pursue these careers so they can make their parents and communities proud.

Through initiatives like this, WAVE Gambia continues to create safe and empowering spaces for children from marginalized and vulnerable communities, including victims of torture and their families, to learn, grow, and envision their futures with confidence. By combining practical support with psychosocial care, these interventions not only address immediate needs but also foster resilience, ambition, and a sense of belonging. Stories like those of Jamilatou, Muhammed, and their peers remind us that every child, even in the most challenging circumstances, has the potential to thrive and make a lasting impact. WAVE Gambia remains committed to nurturing these dreams and supporting communities at every level. United Nations Human Rights

25/01/2026

We are honoured! We are - because of the resilience and more - of countless number of women and victims whom we serve!!

21/12/2025

We’re honoured to have been featured alongside 19 other dynamic organisations doing incredible work in the area of women’s empowerment and gender equality, one of our 4 Pillars of Interventions.

# Women’s Association for Women and Victims’ Empowerment (WAVE-Gambia) (The Gambia)
“The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women symbolises a crucial call to action. It underscores the ongoing struggle faced by women worldwide and reaffirms the collective responsibility to dismantle structures that perpetuate violence. For WAVE-Gambia, this day inspires renewed commitment to building a Gambia where women and girls live with dignity, safety and equality.” Priscilla Yagu Shalom Ciesay, Co-founder & Senior Technical Advisor, WAVE-Gambia
WAVE-Gambia is a committed civil society organisation dedicated to eradicating violence against women and girls in The Gambia. Founded in 2019, and guided by a mission to promote gender equality, social cohesion and the human rights of women and girls, it empowers survivors while advocating for systemic reforms to ensure justice and accountability.
WAVE-Gambia’s core objectives include preventing all forms of gender-based violence, providing survivor-centred and trauma-informed programmes, and fostering inclusive, violence-free communities. It implements a range of impactful programmes encompassing community outreach, legal aid, psychosocial counselling, and capacity-building workshops tailored for law enforcement, community leaders, and women human rights defenders.
One of WAVE-Gambia’s flagship initiatives, “Kaira Bengho ka Kairo Balundi – Peace Talks for Peace Building, Individual and Community Healing and Reconciliation,” integrates trauma-informed, gender-sensitive approaches to peace-building, effectively addressing the root causes of violence and promoting dialogue in fragile communities, particularly in regions vulnerable to conflict.
WAVE-Gambia’s activities focused on violence elimination include awareness campaigns, training sessions on women’s rights and protection mechanisms, and direct support to survivors through safe spaces and legal assistance. By collaborating closely with various partners, it has strengthened its reach and impact through strategic alliances. WAVE-Gambia’s beneficiary base includes women and girls with disabilities who have experienced violence, women human rights defenders, and communities at risk of conflict-related violence. Geographically, its work spans key vulnerable areas while maintaining a nationwide profile to advocate for broader societal change.
Among its notable achievements, WAVE-Gambia has contributed significantly to policy reforms, supported hundreds of survivors with comprehensive services, and played a vital role in reducing violence risks during national elections through community cohesion efforts.
WAVE-Gambia is an active member of regional and international coalitions advocating for women’s rights and the prevention of gender-based violence, linking local action to global human rights standards.

As the author, David Barnard, points out in his post - link here: https://x.com/david_barnard/status/1993218609775280375, these profiles showcase the critical contributions of African NGOs involved in ending violence against women. However, this is not an exhaustive list of such NGOs, and many others do stellar work across the continent.

21/12/2025

Such an honour to be featured alongside dynamic organisations doing great work including in the area of women’s empowerment and gender equality.

# Women’s Association for Women and Victims’ Empowerment (WAVE-Gambia) (The Gambia) 🇬🇲

“The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women symbolises a crucial call to action. It underscores the ongoing struggle faced by women worldwide and reaffirms the collective responsibility to dismantle structures that perpetuate violence. For WAVE-Gambia, this day inspires renewed commitment to building a Gambia where women and girls live with dignity, safety and equality.” Priscilla Yagu Shalom Ciesay, Co-founder & Senior Technical Advisor, WAVE-Gambia.
WAVE-Gambia is a committed civil society organisation dedicated to eradicating violence against women and girls in The Gambia. Founded in 2019, and guided by a mission to promote gender equality, social cohesion and the human rights of women and girls, it empowers survivors while advocating for systemic reforms to ensure justice and accountability.
WAVE-Gambia’s core objectives include preventing all forms of gender-based violence, providing survivor-centred and trauma-informed programmes, and fostering inclusive, violence-free communities. It implements a range of impactful programmes encompassing community outreach, legal aid, psychosocial counselling, and capacity-building workshops tailored for law enforcement, community leaders, and women human rights defenders.
One of WAVE-Gambia’s flagship initiatives, “Kaira Bengho ka Kairo Balundi – Peace Talks for Peace Building, Individual and Community Healing and Reconciliation,” integrates trauma-informed, gender-sensitive approaches to peace-building, effectively addressing the root causes of violence and promoting dialogue in fragile communities, particularly in regions vulnerable to conflict.
WAVE-Gambia’s activities focused on violence elimination include awareness campaigns, training sessions on women’s rights and protection mechanisms, and direct support to survivors through safe spaces and legal assistance. By collaborating closely with various partners, it has strengthened its reach and impact through strategic alliances. WAVE-Gambia’s beneficiary base includes women and girls with disabilities who have experienced violence, women human rights defenders, and communities at risk of conflict-related violence. Geographically, its work spans key vulnerable areas while maintaining a nationwide profile to advocate for broader societal change.
Among its notable achievements, WAVE-Gambia has contributed significantly to policy reforms, supported hundreds of survivors with comprehensive services, and played a vital role in reducing violence risks during national elections through community cohesion efforts.
WAVE-Gambia is an active member of regional and international coalitions advocating for women’s rights and the prevention of gender-based violence, linking local action to global human rights standards.

Follow the link: https://x.com/david_barnard/status/1993218609775280375

(These profiles showcase the critical contributions of African NGOs involved in ending violence against women. However, as the author, David Bernard, reminds us - this is not an exhaustive list of such NGOs, and many others do stellar work across the continent).