As such, the country is heavily dependent of foreign aid and hopes that it can rebalance its economy with oil have, to date, proved fruitless as none has been struck. Matters have been compounded of late with drought in the area together with flash flooding making access to safe water increasingly difficult. Access to education is also a major issue for children in the Gambia, for whilst secondary education is free, most secondary schools will not accept children who have not had a primary education, and that is not free and beyond the means of many Gambian families.

This is reflected in its literacy rate, standing at 63.9% for males and but just 47.6% for females not least because only 39% of children in the Gambia go to secondary school. Child sponsor programs in the Gambia focus on installing wells and water pumps, access to health and education, including the building and kitting out of schools and providing poorer children with books and uniforms, providing mosquito nets and vaccinating children from infectious diseases such as malaria. Other work includes caring for the 72,000 child orphans out of a total child population of 811,000 in the country. You can help when your sponsor a child in the Gambia.