In Jarra Madina, a small farming community in The Gambia's Lower River Region, life once revolved around a daily struggle for water. Women and girls would set out at dawn, walking up to five kilometres to fetch water from open wells dug by their forefathers more than a century ago. The water was often muddy, unsafe, leading to increasing cases of waterborne diseases.
"Before, we used to beg each other for water to drink," recalls Sarjo Jallow, head of the local women's group. "Pregnant women carried heavy containers on their heads and risked injury. It was painful to watch."
Today, thanks to the Climate Smart Rural Wash Development Project, co-financed by the African Development Bank with $10 million and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with $9 million, clean water now flows directly into the community. Solar-powered water systems pump water to homes, schools, and livestock troughs--reaching more than 110,000 people across 144 rural and peri-urban villages, including Jarra Madina.
Implemented in partnership with The Gambia's Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources, the project is building climate-resilient infrastructure in some of the country's most remote areas. Boreholes equipped with solar pumps feed overhead tanks supplying 120 public taps and 50 institutional facilities, drastically cutting down the long, risky walks the women once endured.
Sanitation facilities have been constructed in over 30 schools, benefiting hundreds of children. Over 10,000 trees have also been planted to protect the environment and strengthen local climate adaptation.
"This project was designed to help communities improve water availability and build resilience," explains Olusola Ikuforiji from the Global Environment Facility. "With solar-powered systems, people now have easy access to water, their livestock are better cared for, and trees are being planted to restore the environment."
The ripple effects are profound. Girls attend school more regularly instead of spending hours fetching water. Women now have more time for farming and small businesses, contributing to family income and community development.
"Our lives have changed," says villager Mustapha Gikineh. "Before, the water looked like oil. Now it is clean, and our children no longer fall sick."
For The Gambia--one of Africa's smallest and most climate-vulnerable countries--such initiatives are crucial. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and longer dry seasons are straining water resources and threatening food security. By integrating water access with climate adaptation, the African Development Bank-GEF initiative would help build resilience for over 200,000 people by 2030, combining climate-smart approaches that address both immediate needs and long-term adaptation priorities.
"This infrastructure is not just about water," says Bocar Cisse, Project Task Manager at the African Development Bank. "It is a testimony to collaboration--between the Bank, the GEF, and the Government of The Gambia--to bring relief, empower women, and protect the environment."
As Sarjo Jallow watches the steady stream of clean water flow from the village tap, surrounded by trees, she smiles. "We no longer walk for hours to fetch dirty water," she says. "We have water at our doorstep. Our children are healthy and in school. This project has brought dignity and hope back to our community."
Jarra Madina's transformation stands as a powerful example of how climate-smart investments in water and sanitation can uplift rural lives, strengthen gender equality, and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.
