A new landmark initiative focusing on fostering self-reliance through social support services, support to entrepreneurs and building their business skills is set to impact thousands of vulnerable youth and women in The Gambia.
Representatives of the Government of The Gambia and the African Development Bank Group launched the Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project in Banjul on 22 October. The $14.7 million project will see the Bank and partners in The Gambia provide resources for vocational training programs tailored to equip young people and women with agriculture and agribusiness sector-relevant skills. The Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project will support entrepreneurship by providing equipment, coaching services and market access to help with the start up and development of profitable and sustainable businesses. The project will also provide the beneficiaries with access to health services by rehabilitating and equipping health facilities as well as set up services designed to promote emotional and social resilience.
The Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project is financed by a $6.65 million grant from the African Development Fund, the Bank's concessional window, as well as by $7.12 million from the MRC Holland Foundation and a $930,000 contribution from the Government of The Gambia.
Representing The Gambia's Vice President Mohammed B.S. Jallow at the launch ceremony, Gambian Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Honorable Fatou Kinteh said the Government of The Gambia is committed to social equity, especially for young people and women who face higher levels of vulnerability and economic instability.
"[This] marks yet an important milestone in our shared journey towards building a more inclusive, resilient and prosperous Gambia. It is my honor to stand before you as we launch the Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project, a game changing intervention designed to uplift those who face the great barriers to opportunities in our country," Minister Kinteh said.
The Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project is expected to reach 2,500 women and youth. At least 1,000 of those beneficiaries will receive support to startup enterprises and create jobs in their communities. Improved access to basic social and health services resulting from the project's implementation are expected to benefit more than 82,000 people, at least half of them women.
Joining the ceremony virtually, Bank Country Manager for The Gambia and Deputy Director General for West Africa Dr. Joseph Ribeiro told attendees that the project aligns with The Gambia's National Development Plan and the Bank's broader agenda to strengthen resilience in local communities. He said he is optimistic that the project would create lasting economic opportunities and empower beneficiaries to overcome socioeconomic barriers.
"At the African Development Bank, our mission is to spur sustainable economic development and social progress across our continent. We firmly believe that true development can only be achieved when no one is left behind - when opportunities reach every young person striving for a better future and every woman aspiring to make a difference in her community," Ribeiro added.
This initiative will target rural areas in local government areas Janjanbureh, Kuntaur, and Basse - identified as being among the most vulnerable in The Gambia. An estimated 93.8 percent of rural households are considered vulnerable in The Gambia. The rollout of the Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project started in June and will run through June 2027.
Since it commenced operations in The Gambia in 1974, the Bank has committed more than $456 million to public sector infrastructure projects in agriculture, industry, water and sanitation, energy, transport, governance and the social sector - mainly education and health.
