Two Decades of Impact: GBG Marks 20 Years of Transforming Education and Lives in The Gambia

Written by: Alieu Jallow

For two decades, the Rangsdorf-based Health and Education Gambia Association (GBG e.V.) has quietly transformed the lives of hundreds of vulnerable children in The Gambia through sustained investments in education, child protection, healthcare, and community development.

As the association prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary on May 30th in Rangsdorf, Germany, the milestone represents more than a moment of reflection. It highlights years of volunteerism, resilience, and international solidarity that continue to shape the futures of disadvantaged communities across The Gambia.

At the heart of GBG’s mission since its establishment has been its school fee sponsorship programme for bright but underprivileged children, particularly those from the country’s impoverished North Bank Region. Since 2006, the association has supported 310 Gambian children with school fees, averaging about 15 beneficiaries annually. Nearly 200 of those students have completed their education, with close to 80 percent graduating with diplomas, a figure significantly above the national average for children from low-income families.

Beyond easing the financial burden on struggling households, the programme has created long-term opportunities for children who otherwise risked dropping out of school. Even students unable to complete their education gained basic literacy and numeracy skills, improving both their own prospects and those of future generations.

In response to the growing number of former beneficiaries advancing into universities and vocational institutions, GBG launched a solidarity education fund in 2024. The initiative currently supports ten young Gambians pursuing higher education and professional training.

Despite the achievements, the association acknowledges the challenges involved in managing sponsorships across 59 schools in both northern and southern Gambia. The process includes reviewing applications, verifying academic records, coordinating family support, documenting donor contributions, and maintaining regular communication with sponsors. Currently, 126 children remain under active sponsorship.

“Our goal is to ensure that volunteering remains meaningful and manageable,” the board recently stated after discussions aimed at streamlining the organisation’s operations.

Beyond education sponsorships, GBG has expanded its impact into several critical sectors across The Gambia.

One of its most significant achievements this year was the opening of the Sorijata Bolong Clinic in Suwareh Kunda on March 8th 2026, following nearly a decade of planning and construction. The facility, supported through a long-standing partnership with Alex e.V., attracted approximately 300 attendees during its inauguration, including regional authorities, mayors, health officials, and community leaders.

The clinic began serving patients immediately on opening day, with medical consultations and pharmaceutical services already operational. The project marks a major step in expanding healthcare access in the region.

GBG has also strengthened its commitment to child welfare through its six-year partnership with Fatou Gaye’s children’s shelter, which has grown from housing 55 girls to supporting approximately 170 vulnerable children today. The association continues to provide monthly financial support, food security assistance, and infrastructure improvements, including beds, mosquito nets, and repairs to water systems.

Food security remains one of the shelter’s biggest challenges amid rising inflation and worsening exchange rates in The Gambia. GBG currently contributes nearly 600 euros monthly to help sustain feeding programmes for the children.

In the education sector, the association has invested heavily in early childhood learning centres, including the Nyofelleh Kindergarten south of Tanji. Since taking over the project in 2023, GBG has renovated classrooms, improved teacher stipends, restored dental health programmes, repaired school furniture, and launched efforts to establish a stable solar-powered electricity supply for the institution.

Meanwhile, in the North Bank Region, the Sareh Marie Dobo Lower Basic School has become one of GBG’s flagship projects. Since adopting the school in 2021, the association has supported the construction of libraries, kindergartens, playgrounds, toilets for younger pupils, dining halls, and school kitchens, while also expanding access to textbooks and educational materials.

The organisation says its long-term vision remains rooted in providing Gambian children with safe and dignified learning environments.

As GBG celebrates two decades of volunteer-driven humanitarian work, the association continues appealing for support to sustain and expand its growing list of projects across the country. From school sponsorships to healthcare, child protection, and rural education development, the organisation’s journey reflects how international solidarity and local partnerships can create lasting impact in some of The Gambia’s most underserved communities.