ChildFund has been working in The Gambia since 1984, implementing projects on the country’s west coast – where most people live below the poverty line.
The Gambia is one of Africa’s smallest countries, and it is also one of the continent’s most stable countries. But political stability has not resulted in economic success. Poverty is widespread in The Gambia, mainly due to the country’s over-reliance on a single crop – peanuts, and lack of economic growth opportunities.
Children in rural Gambia struggle to access quality education, with many schools being under-resourced, short of teachers, textbooks and materials.
Many young people are out of work or working as unskilled labourers on peanut plantations.
Almost one third of the country is under-nourished, which can lead to long-term physical and mental development problems.
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