Gambia, The - Select a village

Country information

Bakoteh Capital: Banjul Area: 11,300 km² Population: 1.3 million (December 2000 est.) Ethnic groups: Mandinka 41%, Fula 19%, Wolof 15%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, 1% of non-Africans Official language(s): English Religion(s): Muslim (90%), Christian (2%), indigenous beliefs (8%) Currency: 1 dalasi = 100 butut Our Facilities Due to the economic need and increasing poverty which particularly afflicted children and youths in Gambia, SOS Children's Village International was prompted to take action in The Gambia in 1980. As early as 1981, construction of the first SOS Children's Village started in the area called Bakoteh. In June 1983, construction was finished and the first children moved into their new homes. In December 1983, construction work on another SOS project started: the SOS Vocational Training and Production Centre (TPC) which was created to extend training facilities to SOS youths and young people from the community and enable them to start their own business and live an independent life. It comprises a carpentry workshop, a metal workshop and an auto mechanic unit. In 1989, the SOS Technical Senior Secondary School Bakoteh was built. It comprises 28 classrooms, several science labs, training rooms, canteen and sports field. It is one of the largest schools in the country which is attended by 1200 students at the moment. In 1991, the cornerstone-laying ceremony of the SOS Mother & Child Clinic Bakoteh took place. It is an outpatient clinic which has the capacity to cater for approximately 70 patients and it deals with curative medicine, preventive medicine, prenatal care, family planning, etc. In 1995, a new Regional Office for North West Africa, a National Office and the SOS Regional Mother training Centre were built. (available in English)