By Ndey Sowe
Beneficiaries in the West Coast Region (WCR) and Lower River Region (LRR) continue to receive their bi-monthly Nafa cash transfers of D3,000 and benefit from ongoing Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) activities, as implementing partners roll out another round of disbursements under the Resilience, Inclusion, Skills and Equality (RISE) project across The Gambia.
The RISE project is jointly funded by the World Bank and the Government of The Gambia. It is implemented by the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), the Department of Community Development (DCD), and the Directorate of Social Welfare (DSW). The project seeks to provide a foundation for sustainable livelihoods for poor and vulnerable families and comprises five core components involving stakeholders from various sectors.
A key subcomponent, the Nafa program, is being implemented in 20 of the poorest districts in The Gambia. Of those, three districts have already “graduated” from the program, while beneficiaries in the remaining 17 districts continue to receive bi-monthly cash transfers of D3,000 along with SBCC activities.
Dusu Fatty, a beneficiary from Foni Mayorr in the West Coast Region, is among 68 people at her payment point who received their disbursements. She described how the project has uplifted her family and the wider community.
“This project has brought us joy and unity. When we take this money home, we buy a bag of rice and save the rest to start or grow a business,” she explained. “But rice now costs between D2,250 and D2,300, so the D3,000 we receive is quite small. We urge the project to increase the amount because what remains is usually just enough for fish money, which is not sustainable.”
Despite this challenge, Fatty praised the project’s impact and appealed for its continuation: “We are in the rainy season, and this is a very difficult time for us. The project has been a lifeline. The SBCC training, in particular, has transformed us—it cannot be overemphasized.”
In Kiang Sankandi, LRR, another beneficiary, Adama Darboe, also spoke of the program’s impact on her financial stability.
“We receive D3,000 every cycle, and it has helped me a lot,” she said. “I am a businesswoman, and since this project started, my business has grown significantly. I use part of the money to invest and save the rest for family use.”
She proudly shared: “I bought a goat, and it has since given birth. This is progress for me and my family. I urge fellow beneficiaries to invest some of the money to sustain themselves after the program ends.”
Darboe also emphasized the SBCC component as crucial to their empowerment.
“SBCC has taken us to another level. It teaches us how to manage and invest in businesses, maternal and child healthcare, and other essential skills,” she said.
The SBCC activities promote behavior change in areas such as maternal and child health, education, family planning, savings, entrepreneurship, and agriculture. These interventions are designed to equip households with the knowledge and skills to build resilient and sustainable livelihoods.
The RISE project continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the poor and vulnerable, combining direct financial support with social empowerment tools to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in The Gambia’s most disadvantaged districts.
