Colley Foundation For Social and Environmental Justice

Nyofelleh Upper Basic School project done and dusted. Two classrooms block, a computer lab equipped with 12 new labtop computers and a solar powered borehole. Partnership with Sint Jozef Institute of Kontich-Belgium 🇧🇪 🇬🇲

We concluded the second part of Day Two with the official welcoming of our Belgian counterparts to The Gambia, highlighted by vibrant Mandinka Kankurang and Wolof Zimba cultural performances.

Day Two of Part One began with a town visit Jambanjelly the host community.
Our first stop was at the Alkalo’s (mayor) residence, where our President Bubacarr FM Colley, had the honor of explaining to our Belgian counterparts the role & importance of our traditional rulers. The discussion highlighted how the Alkalo serves as the custodian of culture, mediator in community matters, & a key figure in local governance and development.
We then proceeded to the Jambanjelly local market, where they experienced firsthand the energy of community trade and local enterprise. The market visit provided our guests with a deeper understanding of everyday life, economic activities, and the importance of local commerce in sustaining families and the broader community.
Our final visit was to Uncle Nfamara’s permaculture garden, an example of sustainable agriculture in practice. The garden showcased innovative, environmentally friendly farming techniques aimed at improving food security, promoting biodiversity, and empowering the community through sustainable practices.
The day was both educational and enriching, strengthening cultural exchange and mutual understanding between our teams.

Day One: with Sint Jozef Institute of Kontich Belgium 🇧🇪.
We began our first day in The Gambia alongside our Belgian counterparts with a successful mangrove restoration exercise at the Sanyang Paradise Swamps. Special thanks to the Sanyepd - The Gambia (Sanyang Youths for Environmental Protection ) for their valuable partnership and support , we are truly grateful.
And In the evening, we had the wonderful opportunity to attend a traditional Gambian marriage ceremony.

We are proud and honored to officially welcome the second batch of our friends and partners from Sint Jozef Institute of Kontich, Belgium, to The Gambia.
We look forward to a productive, inspiring, and memorable time together. Welcome to The Gambia , the Smiling Coast of Africa!

This one with our day one partners Sanyepd - The Gambia cc: Sint-Jozefinstituut Green-Up Gambia,Nfamara Badjie Gambia Environmental Alliance

FARD is excited to announce the inauguration of a new borehole at Gibangarr village (Kampant) in Foni Kansala District, scheduled for February 14th, 2026, at 9 AM. This borehole, along with support for the Nursery School in Gibangarr, is funded by our esteemed Belgian partners, Sint Jozef Instituut-Kontich, in collaboration with the Colley Foundation.

The inauguration will also feature a restoration exercise titled "Dig In," in alignment with FARD's strategic objectives aimed at promoting education, sanitation, and environment.

FARD warmly invites its members, the people of Foni, partners, and the media to join us for this significant initiative as we continue to foster development in rural communities.

Meet the team leader of Belgium 🇧🇪’s 16-member Team to The Gambia 🇬🇲 2026!

Marc Bellinkx is a Belgian geography teacher with more than 30 years of experience in education. His work focuses on the connection between land, water, climate and people.

Marc has hands-on experience with environmental projects in Senegal, where he supported tree planting and land restoration efforts aimed at improving soil health and water retention. These projects showed how restoring nature can also strengthen local communities.

With the Colley Foundation for Social and Environmental Justice, Marc will work on restoring groundwater levels, raising awareness about the importance of trees, and helping build small local economies around grass banks and moringa trees. His approach combines education, practical action and long-term thinking, with respect for both people and the land they depend on.

Big thanks to Lamin Sorra

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