African Development Bank Approves $19.93 Million Grant for The Gambia's Fragility Prevention and Youth Empowerment

Strategic Insights -

The African Development Bank has approved a $19.93 million grant to tackle fragility and expand opportunities for rural youth and women in The Gambia. The project will address the root causes of poverty, irregular migration, and conflict by creating sustainable livelihoods and improving access to basic social services. The initiative aims to renew the social contract and foster community resilience in underserved communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • The project aims to improve access to basic social services, such as healthcare and education, for underserved communities in The Gambia.
  • The initiative seeks to address the root causes of poverty and irregular migration by creating sustainable livelihoods and tackling early signs of fragility.
  • The project will directly create 1,500 jobs, enhance productivity for 5,000 existing positions, and provide annual skills training to 500 youth in high-demand sectors.
  • Support will be extended to 500 women-led micro and small enterprises and 50 women's cooperatives, and key investments in health infrastructure will include rehabilitating four primary health facilities.
  • The project will enhance nutrition surveillance systems to enable early detection and treatment for 22,000 children, and promote climate-smart agriculture to improve food security and reduce vulnerability to climate shocks.
  • The initiative includes scaling up efforts to tackle gender-based violence and inequality, and capacity-building for government institutions to enhance data-driven policymaking.
  • Civil society organizations, including the Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO), will be central to ensuring the project is inclusive, participatory, and aligned with national priorities.

Statistics:

  • $19.93 million grant approved by the African Development Bank.
  • 53.4% of The Gambia's population lives below the poverty line.
  • 76% of rural residents live in poverty, compared to 34% in urban areas.
  • Youth unemployment stands at 38.6%, with 1.3 unemployed women for every unemployed man.
  • 22,000 children will benefit from enhanced nutrition surveillance systems.
  • 1,000 children requiring specialized care will be facilitated.
  • Food insecurity has surged, rising from 13.4 percent in 2021 to 29 percent in 2023.
  • 77% of Gambian youth are currently excluded from formal financial services.

Sources:

  • African Development Bank. "The Gambia: African Development Fund Approves $19.93 Million Grant to Tackle Fragility and Expand Opportunities for Rural Youth and Women."
  • www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/gambia-african-development-fund-approves-1993-million-grant-tackle-fragility-and-expand-opportunities-rural-youth-and-women-85636