Banjul – On May 22, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Department of Community Development (DCD) under the project “Supporting Cross-Border Cooperation for Increased Community Resilience and Social Cohesion in The Gambia and Senegal” handed over Community Borehole Expansion Project in Sinchu Barra, Central River Region (North). This support – a lifeline for the community – is supported with funding from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).

The Community Borehole Expansion forms part of numerous interventions under the USD 3.8 first-ever UN PBF funded cross-border project implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (FAO) in The Gambia and Senegal. The project, which started in December 2022, is aimed at addressing the causes of instability and conflict in border communities, while promoting community resilience and social cohesion.

“Water plays an important role in equitable, sustainable and productive rural livelihoods; thus, water insecurity is a major risk to rural development. Through IOM’s intervention, there is opportunity for the women and youths of Sinchu Barra to venture into meaningful agricultural and food production activities which ensures resilience,” says Sibgha Ajaz, IOM The Gambia’s Programme Manager for Migration Management.

A joint monitoring visit by IOM and DCD in 2023 identified several key challenges including access to adequate clean water for drinking, cooking, hygiene and sanitation. The several pastoral farmers in the community also grapple with the challenge of quenching the thirst of their animals – cattle, sheep and goats – on a daily basis. They move around – including to the neighboring Senegal – with their animals in between February and June in search of water sources to prevent the animals from dehydration or even death.

“To have water for drinking, washing, cleaning and farming, this community encountered hardship,” laments Ebou Gaye, the Alkalo (head of the village). “For many years, some community members would need to walk a few kilometres across the border to Senegal to get water. Today, we’re excited to have taps at every corner of the village,” he adds expressing a sigh of relief.

The continuous acute water shortage exacerbates access to the insufficient of available water supply in the community – leading to conflict among herdsmen and women, gardeners, farmers, and other members of the border community whose use water for household upkeeps.

“Accessing clean water used to be a nightmare for us and our animals,” states Ida Torp, a women leader in the community. “The previous borehole we used to rely on would not meet the demand of the community. There were instances when we will return from farms and would have no water for our animals or our other domestic use,” she recounts. “We’re delighted that we now leave the challenges of accessing one of life’s basic needs to the past,” she expresses.

With the “Supporting Cross-Border Cooperation for Increased Community Resilience and Social Cohesion in The Gambia and Senegal” intervention, the people of Sinchu Barra benefitted from expansion and increased capacity of the community’s only borehole from 4000 litres to 7,000 litres – pumping a minimum of 28,000 liters per day, increased solar power capacity and distribution system.

The community’s environment also not spared by the of climate change, deforestation, illegal logging, and weak natural resource management, among others, the members band together to plant more trees using the water supply to regenerate the lost forest cover for improved ecosystem – contributing addressing climate change and its impact on lives.

IOM and FAO are working in close collaboration with both countries’ ministries of environment and interior, as well as community partners in implementing the interventions of project since December 2022 to improve cross-border natural resource management through a community-based participatory approach and enhance community resilience through inclusive dialogue and green livelihoods.

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For more information, please contact:

Lamin W. Sanneh, Tel: +220 700 5122, Email: lasanneh@iom.int