One less problem
Published October 10, 2026
Young people in The Gambia are just like young people here at home. They don't give much thought to the consequences of their actions, especially if it means they have to go out of their way. That's why it was necessary to install a new gate between the students' dining hall and the neighboring building.
I remember very well the first time I came to The Gambia. What made the strongest impression on me during that first hour was the shock of seeing so much trash along the roads we drove on to the guesthouse. There was trash everywhere. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case. With each passing year since then, I’ve seen a major change for the better. The authorities have addressed the problem, and it’s starting to make a difference.
In the schools, we’ve worked actively to encourage students to keep their surroundings neat and clean. We haven’t tolerated trash in the schoolyard, and for the most part, it’s gone very well—with one exception. The students at the middle school and high school in New Jeswang—students over whom we no longer have the same control since the authorities now run these schools—have taken advantage of the situation to use the back of the school as a dumping ground. They can no longer do that, because we’ve now put up a high fence with a locked gate. Now they have to take the slightly longer route to the trash containers.
