How it all began...

I fell in love with The Gambia and its people whilst on holiday in 2006. Whilst I was there, I saw lots of children who weren’t in school because many families were unable to afford the school fees. When they could, they were beaten back by the cost of books, stationery and school uniforms.

I decided to try and build a nursery school, so set about fundraising. This humble concept grew and by 2008 we became a registered UK charity, offering fully funded scholarships to children in most need, creating employment for teachers and offering them training and professional qualifications thereby ensuring long term stability for the school, students and the local community.

We’re now supporting three schools, over 400 students and other community based projects, which you can read about on the "what we do" page. In the pages which follow, you can also read about our new and existing projects. 

Having seen the difference we were able to make, I gave up my job as a social worker in London, moved to The Gambia and have immersed myself into a very different life by living in a small village and without the usual home comforts!

GOAL for The Gambia is now managed by 3 trustees and supported by volunteers. All of our volunteers are based in the UK and amongst their other responsibilities, ensure 100% of every donation goes where it is supposed to. We do not fundraise for administration costs, instead relying on Gift Aid to fund these essential overheads, so please Gift Aid any donation if you can.

If you'd like to make a donation for something specific as a gift, then please do let us know, as we'd be happy to send you a certificate by post or email to give to the recipient. If you're planning to visit The Gambia and would like to see our projects in operation, please do get in touch as you'll be made very welcome.

Giving Opportunities to Achieve and Learn is our GOAL and if you’re feeling inspired and would like to help, we’d love to hear from you. You can keep up to date with what we are doing through our social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Our charity, like many others, has been hit hard with the coronavirus global health pandemic and you can read about how the Sanyang Scouts have been providing valuable help in supporting local communities.  We have also had to manage the impact of the collapse of Thomas Cook, which was a devastating blow for tourism in The Gambia and many of our visitors who planned to visit, either did not or were unable. Your support is always so valued, and for that, the charity and its beneficiaries are so very grateful. 

Thank you for your support,

Sandy Sanyang 

Founder and Trustee GOAL for The Gambia