The Blog

In 2019, government data showed that, agriculture contributes 20-30 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides jobs to over 70% of the labour force. Despite the contribution of the sector to the economy of The Gambia, it is still dominated by smallholder farmers engaged in producing rain-fed subsistence crops for consumption.

It is a sunny afternoon in Janjanbureh in the Central River Region. Sounds of drumbeats, singing crowds, clashing machetes and sharp cries can be heard far and near all around town. The excitement can be seen on the streets as young and old alike, brace up for the annual Kankurang Festival.

The Kankurang masquerade is a Mandinka tradition and an integral part of the rite of passage of young boys. The Kankurang is a protective spirit and guarantor of order that shields the boys as they learn about cultural practices, social norms and the environment. The town of Janjanbureh is widely seen as the birthplace of the Kankurang, which was listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Four hundred young Gambians have graduated from the Sterling Technical Training Centre in Busumbala, the Gambia. The new institution is supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC) through its European Union (EU)-funded Youth Empowerment Project and the EU Jobs, Skills and Finance Programme for Women and Youth. The graduating class includes 138 students who were supported through project-funded scholarships.

Following the graduation, ITC handed over start-up kits to graduates from different skills centres. The young Gambians completed a vocational training supported by the country’s Sk...

“It was like climbing a mountain.” These were the words of Kara Jagne to describe the moment he won last year’s Kanifing Municipal Council Mayor’s Challenge. With support from the International Trade Centre (ITC) through the European Union-funded Youth Empowerment Project in partnership with the Lord Mayor of KMC and the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) the challenge allowed young entrepreneurs, like Kara to be the central drivers of innovation. It was designed to spur impact-driven entrepreneurial solutions to tackle specific socio-economic challenges affecting the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, about 10 years later, Buba is running one of the few shoe production companies in The Gambia. He currently works with one fixed staff and is training about five young people through his apprenticeship scheme. As a beneficiary of the European Union-funded Youth Empowerment Project Digitalization Program, Buba has registered enormous success this past year with the digital marketing skills he gained.

Speaking at the peaceful dialogue convened by women and young people of the communities, the Governor of Central River Region extended his profound gratitude to ITC for the great work done in bringing these communities together. He said “In the past decade, we have not seen these two communities come together in this magnitude and for a peaceful cause. Calls to me from or about these communities were usually always around a fight happening and rising tension. So, if we convene here today in the spirit to foster peace, we thank the UN in The Gambia for supporting Government’s efforts to restore peace in these communities”.

"I was drawn to the world of dance at an early age. My mother was a dancer with a ‘70s music band in The Gambia, she encouraged me a lot but it was a self-driven passion that spurred me to follow through her legacy and leave my mark dancing to the rhythms of the beautiful African drums."

Ndey Fatou Jabang (Elektra) is the founder and proprietress of Flex Fuzion Entertainment and Dance Academy, a Dance company and academy offering dance classes to promote a healthy lifestyle and the art of dance as a full-time career thus creating a source of livelihood for young Gambians with a passion for da...

As a beneficiary of the Youth Empowerment Project Andandorr programme, Modou has developed skills to support the management and growth of his business. When reflecting on his Andandorr journey, he said “through this programme, I have learnt better ways to manage my business and maintain a standard record of my earnings.