The Government of The Gambia has announced the allocation of D4 million to support vulnerable children, marking the first initiative of its kind in the country’s history.
The announcement was made during the Mansa Kunda ministerial engagement on Friday at the Sir Dawda Kairaba International Conference Centre, where concerns were raised about the growing number of children begging on the streets and at traffic lights.
Director of Children Affairs, Bintou H.K. Fatty, explained that the intervention is designed not only to provide immediate relief but also to strengthen families economically. She noted that support will include petty trading opportunities, enabling parents to meet their children’s basic needs.
Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Fatou Kinteh, assured that her ministry will collaborate with police and social workers to investigate the situation. Teams will visit locations where children are reportedly begging to assess the scale and root causes of the problem.
Reports suggest that some children are seen begging alongside their parents, raising fears of exploitation. To address this, the National Child Protection Committee and the Child and Environment Association will conduct assessments to guide future interventions.
Officials emphasised that broader social protection programmes, including cash transfers, are being implemented to reduce the circumstances that push children onto the streets.
Minister Kinteh stressed that child protection requires collective responsibility: “Protecting children from exploitation cannot be left to the Ministry alone, but demands the involvement of all stakeholders.”
