By Kumba Leigh
Across the rural regions of The Gambia, the NAFA Cash Transfer Programme continues to bring lasting change, providing vulnerable households with the means to rebuild, recover, and grow. Through financial empowerment and community support, the program has enabled beneficiaries to invest in sustainable livelihoods, improve household welfare, and foster greater economic independence.
From small beginnings with just 3,000 Dalasi in hand, countless families have turned opportunity into enterprise and vulnerability into resilience. Below are first-hand testimonies that capture the transformative power of this initiative.
Sarjo Nyang , of Gendeh Sandu Misera shared how the programme laid the foundation for her family’s long-term stability.
“Our first benefit from this project came when I called my husband, and we agreed to invest the money in a business that would support our future needs,” she recalled.
“We purchased a horse, a weeding machine, and some livestock. Today, these have grown into three successful, diversified businesses. The returns have improved our household’s well-being, and we are truly grateful to the partners of this important initiative.”
For Ramatoulie Jallow, of Chameng Nyanija, the NAFA project was a first-time opportunity that brought both relief and empowerment.
“This is my first time benefiting from a project of this kind. The cash helped me pay for healthcare for my sick child, which was a great burden lifted,” she said.
“I was also able to save the remaining amount through our women’s monthly Osusu group. My savings are growing steadily, and I finally feel a sense of financial security.”
Widow and mother of eight, Kanku Jatta, Gendeh, Sandu Misera, described how the NAFA support changed her family’s trajectory.
“After my husband passed away, I was left alone to care for our eight children. Life became very difficult,” she explained.
“But when I received the 3,000 Dalasi from the NAFA Cash Transfer, I decided to invest in livestock. Within just six months, I had multiple animals. I now use the income to pay my children’s school fees and medical bills. This project has truly lifted a heavy burden off my shoulders.”
The Alkalo, of Kuraw Arfang said the NAFA project is truly one of its kind.
“It has entered homes that once had nothing and transformed them into self-sustaining and peaceful households. This initiative has brought stability and harmony because family needs are being met. I urge all men to support their wives in using these funds wisely, not for selfish reasons, but for the greater good of their families.”
The NAFA Cash Transfer Programme stands as a powerful testimony to the impact of targeted social protection in The Gambia. By providing modest financial assistance to the most vulnerable, it has opened the door to long-term growth, improved livelihoods, and community-wide resilience.
Through wise investments, community solidarity, and entrepreneurial spirit, rural Gambians are proving that transformation is not only possible, it is already happening. With continued support from development partners, the path to poverty alleviation and sustainable development becomes even clearer.
