By Momodou Gagigo
In a celebration echoing decades of transformative impact, ActionAid International, The Gambia (AAITG) commemorated its 46th anniversary today, reaffirming an unwavering commitment to climate justice and the total eradication of poverty. The event, held in Banjul, drew government leaders, UN officials, civil society partners, and hundreds of beneficiaries, underscoring the organization’s enduring role in national development.
For 46 years, AAITG has been a steadfast ally in The Gambia’s progress, complementing government efforts in critical areas such as education, health, and advocacy for social justice. From empowering rural schools to amplifying voices against inequality, the nonprofit has touched countless lives, fostering resilience amid economic hardships and environmental threats.
The milestone gathering unveiled AAITG’s ambitious six-year strategic plan, anchored by three core priorities to steer its mission through 2031. First: Recognizing, promoting, and protecting human rights, ensuring women, men, youth, children, persons with disabilities, and people living with HIV enjoy equal rights and opportunities. Second: Building women and youth-led climate resilience and ecological justice, advancing environmental sovereignty, sustainability, and fair climate action for communities hardest hit by the crisis. Third: Championing good governance and accountability, bolstering democratic, transparent institutions for equitable power and resource distribution.
“These priorities are not mere aspirations—they are actionable blueprints for change,” declared Omar Badjie, Board Chair of AAITG. Aligning seamlessly with national and global frameworks, the plan is in sync with The Gambia’s Green Recovery-Focused National Development Plan (2023-2027), the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “We recommit to partnering with governments, civil society, and allies to realize shared visions for a prosperous Gambia,” Badjie affirmed, his words met with resounding applause.
Adding global weight to the occasion, Arthur Larok, Secretary General of ActionAid International, delivered a fiery keynote, lambasting the superficiality of aid. “Financial support without tangible action cannot conquer the persistent challenges our beneficiaries face,” he thundered, urging robust implementation, strategic monitoring, and evaluation of public funds. Larok zeroed in on systemic economic injustice, painting a stark picture of Africa’s debt crisis. “We’re on a continent—and in a country—grappling with debt at unsustainable levels not seen since the 1990s. The systems haven’t changed.”
True transformation, he argued, transcends debt relief or charity. “A just economic system will let our countries prosper. Governments can then invest rightly in women, children, and youth—that’s the revolution we crave.” His call resonated deeply in a nation where climate shocks and poverty trap 48% of the population below the poverty line, per recent World Bank data.
UN Resident Coordinator Karl Frederick Paul echoed this urgency, pledging continued collaboration. “The UN and ActionAid are united in crafting an affordable, conducive world for all—starting right here in The Gambia.”
ActionAid International Gambia’s Executive Director, Mrs. Ndella Colley, hailed the government’s enabling environment, thanking officials for fostering seamless partnerships.
The day’s pinnacle came from His Excellency Vice President Momodou B.S. Jallow, who lauded AAITG’s pivotal role. “ActionAid complements government support to our most vulnerable and marginalized. We commend your deep interest in deepening development—we’re 100% invested in the outcomes.” He spotlighted the organization’s rural interventions: “ActionAid delivers immense resources and fortifies local government structures, transforming communities from the ground up.”
Other luminaries included EU Ambassador to The Gambia, Immaculada Roca i Cortès, who pledged sustained European funding for climate initiatives, as well as representatives from local NGOs.
As The Gambia battles rising sea levels and food insecurity—exacerbated by climate change affecting 70% of its agriculture—AAITG’s renewed vow signals hope. With 46 years behind it and a strategic roadmap ahead, the organization stands poised not just to fight poverty and injustice, but to win. “Together, we’re building a Gambia where no one is left behind,” Colley said.
“ActionAid isn’t just an organization; it’s the backbone of hope for our most vulnerable,” said one attendee, a local women’s rights activist.
