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Welcome to the village of Kerr Alhagi MallikIf you walked into this dusty village in the semi-arid Sahel zone of West Africa, you would be greeted with a "Salaam maleekum" or a "Jaam ngam?" both of which mean "Do you have peace?"
This vibrant community of about 600 people is located far off the beaten track in The Gambia, which is the 18th poorest country in the world. Background statistics can be found in the United Nations Human Development Report. The villagers farm millet and peanuts as their staple crops, build their houses from mud blocks and thatch them with grass, carry water on their heads, and keep livestock as their savings accounts. When they have a chance to relax, they drink a glass of strong green tea under a shady tree. |
Everyone in the village of Kerr Alhagi Mallik is a professional farmer. They make their living from the environment around them using nothing more than a handheld hoe and a horse and plow. There are two 'hungry seasons' per year when families sometimes eat only one meal a day. The margin for error is slim. Yet people are warm and generous and make it a point of honour to offer their guests more food.
Like other Gambian villages, the society is hierarchical by age and gender. Only one permanent resident of the village speaks English, the official language of The Gambia. Everyone speaks Wolof and some speak Pulaar, Serere or Mandinka. Women work 14 hour days of physical labor. They fetch water from a 35 meter deep well, grind grain by pounding an enormous wooden mortar and pestle, cook meals over wood fires, weed and harvest the fields, and raise children. When there is a birth or wedding to celebrate, they put on their finest outfits and impress each other with fleet-footed dancing. Men construct houses, fences and mattresses, drive horse carts, sew harnesses from rice sacks, plant and harvest their fields, and peddle wares in the city to make money to buy food. They enjoy discussing politics, new ideas or old ideas with friends and strangers alike.
GambiaRising
For a political history of The Gambia, check out this informative summary on GambiaRising's site. GambiaRising is a growing not-for-profit registered at a 501(c)3 in the US, founded by former Peace Corps/ The Gambia Country Director, Mike McConnell. GambiaRising, through its team of Gambian volunteers and board of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers led by Mike, supports education for students in central, eastern, and western Gambia, with an eye towards helping young women stay in school rather than face early marriage.