Momodou, 18, The Gambia
Basic need(s):
Education, Environment, Safety
Project:
Education All We Need
Growing up as a male in the Gambia, Momodou was privy to a solid education in primary school. When he found out that his female counterparts were not offered the same opportunity, he became enraged. “Their parents had the belief that it was a waste of time and resources to send the girls to class.” To make matters worse, Momodou had countless run-ins with these girls on his way to school. They would cry simply at the sight of his bag. For Momodou, it became very clear that something needed to be done. His first idea was to go to the source. “I spent so much time talking to my parents to help me persuade the parents of these innocent children, but they just wouldn’t listen to us.” Realizing he was at a stalemate, Momodou approached a group of elders in his community who in turn arranged meetings with the local Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), “Education For All,” an initiative of the Department of State for Education, and other powerful decision makers in the Gambia’s National Assembly. It was in these conferences that Momodou fostered “Education All We Need,” a project that addresses promoting and providing standard education for all children in the Gambia. “Education All We Need” is a success. Momodou has made it so that essentially every young girl in his community now receives a standard, formal education.
