The Gambia is a young country in every sense. Since its creation fifty years ago, its population has increased by an average of 43% every decade, with the birth rate constantly exceeding the death rate. Today, 40% of the population is under the age of 15 and the average age for The Gambia is a mere 20 years. Birth control is virtually unheard of, especially in rural areas, and a man’s success is largely determined by the number of children he has with his wives. With an average of four children born to every woman, The Gambia has one of the highest fertility rates in the world.
Despite the poverty in the country, children are seen as a blessing and are nurtured by the whole community. In some cases, one person’s wage is shared to feed four or five families.
The result of all this is that, wherever you go in The Gambia, there are children! Invariably, they want to know your name and hold your hand. They don’t beg, but, as with children the world over, they love it when you give them sweets!
Some photos of just a few of the children we met:
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| These girls were harvesting peanuts |
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| School girls |
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| Children chasing our truck |
