By: Momodou S Gagigo
In the remote village of Jimara Fatako in The Gambia’s Upper River Region, a young boy once watched his dreams of becoming a lawyer slip away. Today, Edrisa Janko stands admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of The Gambia, his journey a powerful testament to perseverance, education, and the kindness of strangers.
Janko’s father died when he was eleven. His mother, living with a disability, struggled to keep the family afloat. By 2005, after completing Grade Nine, poverty forced him out of school. “For the next five years, I watched my classmates continue while my own dreams seemed to disappear,” he recalled. Like many young people in similar circumstances, he believed education had ended for him forever.
Hope returned when Tostan brought its Community Empowerment Program to the village. Janko first joined as a participant, then became a Community Facilitator. The program reshaped his outlook. “I learned that education is not only about certificates but about discovering one’s potential and understanding that difficult circumstances do not define one’s future,” he said. “It restored my confidence and inspired me to believe my dream was still possible.”
At an age when most peers were finishing secondary school, Janko returned to the classroom. He enrolled at Bansang Senior Secondary School as a self-sponsored student. Older than his classmates and nicknamed “Grandpa,” he faced forgotten lessons and ongoing financial strain. Yet determination prevailed. The Bansang Educational Appeal, through then-Principal Ismaila S. Ceesay, awarded him a scholarship that lifted the burden of fees. He excelled, earning grades that opened doors to any Gambian university, and was elected Head Boy for the 2012–2013 academic year.
University still seemed out of reach. Unable to afford law school, he began a Higher Teachers’ Certificate at Gambia College. Then Dutch philanthropist Bram Kloos stepped in, sponsoring Janko’s law degree at the University of The Gambia and later his professional training at Bar School in Rwanda. “His generosity transformed my life,” Janko said. “It restored my hope and strengthened my belief that dreams can become reality when someone invests in another person’s future.”
After years of study and perseverance, Janko was enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor with full rights to practice before all courts in The Gambia. He credits the milestone to those who believed in him: Tostan for reigniting his ambition, the Bansang Educational Appeal for keeping secondary school possible, and Kloos for opening the final doors.
Today, Janko serves as Human Resources Officer at Tostan, the organization that once helped him rediscover his potential. His legal training now supports fairness, labour rights, and accountability within the very institution that shaped him.
“Looking back, I realize this journey was never mine alone,” he said.
Janko’s message to young people facing hardship is clear: “No dream is too distant and no obstacle too great when determination meets opportunity. Your current circumstances do not define your destiny. With faith, perseverance, and the support of those who believe in you, even the most impossible dreams can come true.”
