By Nelson Manneh
Yahya Badjie, a farmer and native of Kampant village in Foni Kansala, said border villagers in Foni are worried about their survival due to their lack of access to the nearby forests along the border. Badjie said in order to make ends meet, the youth of Foni during the dry season struggle to get money by going to the forest to fetch firewood or burn charcoal.
“With these horrible incidents, we have stopped going to the forest to fetch firewood, and this will make it difficult for families to make ends meet, because we do not know any other source of income for us to tap, to take care of our families,” he said. Badjie said there is no economic activity at the border villages apart from firewood collection and the burning charcoal. He said Foni is not against any government, but all they want is for their fundamental rights to be respected like all other Gambians.
Also speaking to this Medium was Ismaila Colley who said that the youth of Foni are no longer engaged in economic activity.
“We struggle on our own because we do not want to become beggars. We survive from our sweat,” he said the authorities should come up with initiatives that will keep them engaged to earn income since they are exempted from entering the forest and action to address their situation.
