economy
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BANJUL, The Gambia — A farmer stares at cracked earth where millet should stand. Drought has scorched his fields, but it is not nature alone he battles. His children eat one meal daily. School fees are a dream; medicine, unthinkable. His government, shackled by debt and austerity demands from Washington, has stripped away the supports
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Banjul’s skyline tells a story of hope and hardship. Gleaming buildings funded by money sent home from abroad stand alongside neighborhoods reliant on that same lifeline. The Gambia’s transformation since the 2016 ousting of dictator Yahya Jammeh is undeniable, and its vibrant diaspora deserves immense credit. Yet, this powerful force for change carries within it
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The Gambia, West Africa’s smallest nation, is celebrated for its stunning beaches, rich birdlife, and remarkable 2017 democratic transition. Yet, beneath this hopeful surface lurks an insidious force crippling its economic potential: “teri kafos.” This Mandinka term, translating to “eating alone by a club of friends,” encapsulates a pervasive culture of corruption, patronage, and self-enrichment by those
The Civic Scribe: Articles & Poems 