Stakeholders discuss pathways to empowering persons with disabilities in Gambia
Key stakeholders led by the Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD) have converged for their quarterly meeting under the Disability Inclusive Pathways Project to discuss possible measures to empower persons with disabilities in The Gambia.
This was in line with promoting inclusive education and social inclusion, with a specific focus on children (girls and boys) through targeted interventions that foster greater inclusion.
The meeting, held on Thursday 6 August 2026, brought together key Government institutions, academia, CSOs and NGOs to discuss ongoing projects, challenges, and knowledge sharing on best practices.
Held at the Metzy Residence Hotel, the meeting was organised by The Gambia Federation of the Disabled, in collaboration with the Catholic Relief Services (CRS,) National Organisation for the Disabled and Orphans (NODO) and Special Olympics, The Gambia.
The quarterly project meetings seek to identify challenges stakeholders face in promoting disability inclusion within their programs and institutions, share success stories, lessons learned, and best practices among partners.
The meeting forms part of the implementation of the European Union (EU) funded 30-month project titled “Disability Inclusive Pathways: Empowering Children with Disabilities through Education, Technology, and Play.”
Stakeholders reviewed the collaboration activities and recommendations of the last stakeholder meeting, overview of the identification and assessment of learners with special needs in schools, overview of EFANet interventions on the Inclusive Education and its impact to children with disabilities in The Gambia.
This convergence included question-and-answer session with discussion on the activity plans and way forward towards the end of a phase of the project.
In her welcoming address, Anna Nancy Mendy, director, Early Childhood and Inclusive Education at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, outlined the significance for stakeholders to get in touch with those involved to get the right things done.
She emphasised that persons with disabilities know their challenges, adding that getting in touch with persons with disabilities will help in getting to know their challenges and collectively look for solutions.
Omar Touray, director of Special Olympics, outlined that the meeting provides the opportunity to reflect on the progress made over the past meeting, achievements and challenges and lessons learned.
Magistrate Mohamed Krubally, chairman of Gambia Federation for the Disabled, noted that the gathering was a great platform for them to discuss their successes, challenges faced, lessons learned and to come up with resolution.
He said the consultation was in line with the principles of persons with disabilities; enshrined in the preamble of the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities where stakeholders are cautioned to integrate disabilities issues in all sectors, saying it is a relevant strategy for sustainable development. The forum was moderated by Sainey Camara, Acting Executive Director of The Gambia Federation of the Disabled.
Credit: Source link