Gambia – die Smiling Coast

Welcome to the Smiling Coast

The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa.
It is located on the west coast of Africa and is almost completely surrounded by Senegal.

The country follows the course of the Gambia River, which stretches like a ribbon through the country – from the east to the Atlantic coast.
This distinctive geographical structure continues to shape the country today and, in many places, defines life along the water.

Wide, often deserted beaches along the Atlantic, the peaceful life along the river and extensive mangrove landscapes give The Gambia its unique character.
In many places, nature feels unspoilt while at the same time remaining closely connected to people’s everyday lives.

These habitats are also home to a diverse range of wildlife – from hippos to monkeys and even chimpanzees, which have been reintroduced as part of a conservation project.

The name “Smiling Coast of Africa” is no coincidence:
On the map, the course of the river resembles a smile – and it is precisely this image that gave the country its name.

But anyone who experiences The Gambia soon realises:
This smile does not only represent the shape of the country, but above all its people, their openness and their joy of life.

Life in The Gambia

The Gambia is a country of great cultural diversity.
Different ethnic groups shape life together, each with its own language, traditions and history.

In everyday life, this means that multilingualism is completely natural.
Alongside English as the official language, numerous local languages are spoken.
Wolof has become one of the most important lingua francas and is used by many people in everyday life – regardless of their ethnic background.

Family and community play a central role in daily life.
Several generations often live under one roof – grandparents, parents and children share everyday life together.

Older people hold a special position within this structure.
They are respected, involved in decisions and remain an integral part of family and social life.

Many decisions are not made individually, but in close consultation with family or the wider community.
Mutual support is not the exception, but part of the system.

Life is often more simply structured, but at the same time strongly shaped by a sense of community and solidarity.
Where state structures reach their limits, communities take responsibility – in everyday life, in providing support and in difficult situations.

The country’s history also remains present today.
Kunta Kinteh, one of the best-known figures in African history, came from The Gambia.
His story has come to symbolise origins, identity and the connection to one’s own past – and remains deeply rooted in the cultural consciousness to this day.

Between Tradition and Change

The Gambia has undergone profound change over the past decades. The country’s present-day shape dates back to the colonial era, when the territory along the Gambia River was under British control.

At that time, the river was a major trade route into the interior and played a significant role in shaping the country’s territorial extent. This structure continues to influence life in many regions today.

Since gaining independence in 1965, The Gambia has continued to develop step by step on its own path. Traditional ways of life remain, while new structures are emerging at the same time.

A particularly significant turning point was the end of Yahya Jammeh’s long-standing rule in 2017. Since then, the country has been undergoing political change and working to further strengthen its democratic structures.

Democracy is not a fixed state, but a process. A friend once said: “Democracy is the hardest thing one can learn.” For many people here, this path is still new – while for others it has long been taken for granted.

This tension is also visible in everyday life: traditions provide stability and identity, but increasingly also come into conflict with necessary changes.

The Gambia is therefore moving between established structures and new perspectives – between tradition and change.

A Voice of The Gambia: Sona Jobarteh

Sona Jobarteh is one of The Gambia’s best-known artists internationally. As a singer, composer and Kora virtuoso, she combines the musical traditions of West Africa with a modern, confident perspective on her country and the African continent.

She comes from a Griot tradition that has passed down knowledge, history and cultural identity from generation to generation in West Africa for centuries. Griots – also known in The Gambia and other parts of West Africa as Jali or Jeli – are musicians, storytellers and custodians of orally transmitted family and social history. The Kora, a 21-string West African bridge harp, plays a particularly important role in this tradition.

Sona Jobarteh has brought this tradition to international stages while continuing to develop it further. She also reaches a large audience in Germany – from the Elbphilharmonie to concerts at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival.

The Gambia can be proud of this – and so are we.

Her song “Gambia” was created to mark the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence. It is a musical tribute to her homeland. The official video showcases not only her music, but also The Gambia’s landscapes, people, everyday life and cultural diversity.

Education, Identity and the Future

Sona Jobarteh’s commitment extends far beyond the stage. In 2015, she founded The Gambia Academy, where she pursues an educational approach that combines academic learning with practical and technical skills, critical thinking, cultural identity and leadership. Young people should not only be prepared for exams, but also to actively shape their own future and the development of their country.

Her work therefore represents something that is equally important to us: not telling the story of The Gambia only through its challenges, but through the people, ideas and initiatives that are creating a future within the country itself.

Learn more: The Gambia Academy · Official website of Sona Jobarteh

Migration & Reality

Migration is not a marginal issue in The Gambia – it is part of social reality.

For many families, it is linked to the hope of a better life.
Those who leave rarely leave only for themselves – they leave for their families, for a future that often seems impossible to build at home.

But behind this hope lies a reality that is rarely shown openly.

Migration has long since become organised.
Crossings are offered, arranged and paid for – often at prices equivalent to an annual income.

Families invest everything they have – they go into debt, sell possessions or place their entire future on a single journey.

And then the journey begins.

Days on the open sea.
Packed tightly into small boats.
Without toilets, without enough water, without protection.

People sit, wait, hope.

Not everyone arrives.

Boats disappear.

People disappear.

And sometimes they are found again – on coastlines far from home.

Anyone who has seen such images once does not forget them.

Migration is not an easy way out.
It is often the last attempt to find a perspective.

That is exactly where we want to make a difference:
by creating opportunities locally – so that people are not forced to take this path in the first place.

Challenges

The challenges in The Gambia are complex and affect key areas of everyday life.

In the healthcare sector, reliable structures are lacking in many places.
Access to medical care cannot be taken for granted and often depends on individual circumstances and financial means.

The education system also faces major challenges.
Schools are often overcrowded, lessons do not always take place regularly, and the quality of education varies significantly.

This is also reflected in practice: even after many years of schooling, basic knowledge is often still lacking. Vocational training programmes do not always provide the skills that are actually needed later in everyday working life.

Private schools often offer better conditions – but for many families they are simply unaffordable.

In addition to structural issues, differences in the way time, organisation and commitments are handled also play a role. Processes are often less predictable, appointments more flexible and decisions more dependent on the situation.

The economic situation adds another challenge: as a large proportion of goods are imported, price increases have a direct and often amplified impact on everyday life.

Corruption and informal influence are part of everyday reality in many areas.
Processes are not always governed by fixed rules, but are often influenced by personal contacts, expectations or direct forms of compensation.

This is not a hidden problem, but a reality that is widely recognised locally and openly discussed – both politically and within society.

At the same time, everyday experience shows how deeply these structures are embedded.
Decisions are delayed, requirements change, and processes are not always guided by clear criteria.

This affects small everyday situations as well as larger projects and investments.

For development, this means that planning becomes uncertain, processes become unpredictable and reliable structures emerge only slowly.

These individual challenges are interconnected and reinforce one another.

Prospects & Development

The Gambia faces major challenges – yet at the same time, new opportunities are emerging in many areas.

More and more young Gambians are forging their own paths, developing ideas and working consistently towards their goals. Entrepreneurial thinking is growing, new approaches are emerging, and the first successes are becoming visible. Seeing this development is encouraging – and this is exactly where we want to contribute and help create the conditions for even more to grow from it.

Development often takes place in small steps. Where structures are built, where training works and where local initiatives are strengthened, real opportunities emerge.

What matters is that solutions are not imposed from outside, but developed and supported locally. Only then can they work in the long term.

This is exactly where our work begins. We support existing structures, develop projects together and create conditions that can work in everyday life.

Our focus is not on short-term aid, but on sustainable development: on training, functioning systems and concrete improvements that last.

What makes us different is that we do not just know The Gambia – we live it. It is part of our everyday lives, our families and our own history.

At the same time, we understand the requirements and structures in Europe. This connection enables us to understand local realities while implementing solutions that work reliably.

We think locally – and act with structure.

Change does not happen all at once – but step by step.
And it is precisely these steps that make the difference.

Anyone who wants to be part of this development can make a concrete contribution.