What Are We Doing?

This April, I'm visiting The Gambia. With your help, I want to provide rural women with a sustainable place to grow crops and secure their livelihoods via establishing a horticultural garden for them. This sustainable project will mean that these women will never have to rely on food handouts again. As well as growing their own food, they will be able to sell surplus food at the local market, which will help them get their children educated. Your donations here will ensure you receive the rewards for Sadaqah Jariyah as many people will benefit from this project for generations to come.

 

Why Are We Doing It?

As of 2016, the United Nations Development Program’s human development index ranked The Gambia the 172nd poorest countries out of 186. While the causes of poverty in the Gambia are numerous, the two root problems are an overall lack of economic diversity as well as inadequate agriculture proficiency and productivity.

The country is largely dependent on agriculture, an industry that employs 75 percent of the population and accounts for a third of its GDP. Unfortunately, food insecurity is prevalent and the region is becoming increasingly susceptible to harmful climate events: two inescapable factors that have become causes of poverty in the Gambia.

Successful Track Record 

Thanks to the help of Penny Appeal, over 400 women of Tamba Kunda now have a sustainable place to grow crops and a way to secure their livelihoods with their horticultural garden. With your support, I want to establish more Gardens across the Gambia. 

Awn Gibba grows mint in the garden. Mint particularly sought after in local markets as a delicious flavoring for traditional Gambian dishes. She explained how the money she earns from her crops helps to send her children to school, "I earn money by selling the things I grow in the garden, which means I can now afford to send my children to school. I can even afford to give them lunch money and some pocket money!"

With your help, I want to replicate this success story and help more women achieve financial independence. 

Who Will Maintain The Garden?

The garden will be managed by the community committee with the support of Penny Appeal's local office in The Gambia. Everyone who owns a plot of land in the garden pays a 10% subsidy from their income to keep the garden well maintained, which ensures that if anything needs repairing, the funds are always available. One of the most popular decisions the committee made was to plant lemon trees around the garden, to both mark the border and to harvest the fruit, which is shared among all the farmers here.

My Connection to The Gambia 

It was 1977, the spring semester of my junior year in college.  I was well on my way to a heightened Black consciousness at “The Mecca” of Black higher education, Howard University.  I had come to know many Muslims.  By chance I was visiting the home of a Muslim and activist family when the first episode of what would become another milestone in my political and spiritual journey.  Like many Blackamericans, I had been attracted to Islam after reading Alex Haley’s, The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  

The family invited me to stay and watch Alex Haley’s “Roots”.  

Roots originally aired on ABC for eight consecutive nights from January 23 to 30, 1977.  

The central figure, Kunta Kinte, was a young man from captured and enslaved from The Gambia.  It was clear to me that Kunta was a Muslim and that I could be a descendant of African Muslims.  Sometime later I would embrace Islam and from that time until now The Gamba has had held a special place in my heart.  Over the years I have become close to the Sene-Gambian community. My 17 year-old daughter, Amira, will be joining me on this spirit mission to give back to the land of my mothers and fathers.  Her best friend, Aminata, is from The Gambia.  I hope you will join me and my daughter in this journey to make a difference in the lives of women and children in Africa.  

May Allah Reward You!

If you have any questions about this campaign, please do reach out to me. 

May Allah (SWT) reward you immensely for your contribution. 

Your friend, 

Johari Abdul-Malik

@imamjohari786