By: Fatou Krubally
SOS Children’s Villages The Gambia have renewed calls for stronger corporate and institutional partnerships to expand support for vulnerable children and families.
SOS Children’s Villages made the call while reviewing achievements from the past year and outlining priorities for 2026.
The appeal was made on Wednesday during a partners’ coordination meeting held at the organization’s National Coordinating Office in Bakoteh, attended by representatives of banks, private companies, development institutions, religious bodies and the media.
Welcoming participants, National Director Jean-Pierre Kouamin thanked long-standing partners for their continued support, stressing that collaboration remained vital to sustaining child care and family strengthening programmes nationwide.
“For more than four decades, we have worked to ensure every child grows up with care, protection and opportunity,” Kouamin said, noting that the organization’s impact was made possible through partnerships.
SOS Children’s Villages currently employs about 190 staff, providing services that include alternative child care, foster support, youth empowerment, vocational skills training, education assistance, and mother-and-child health care.
Kouamin said the organization’s five-year strategy prioritizes preventing family separation, strengthening the economic capacity of vulnerable households and equipping young people with employable skills to enable self-reliance.
During a session on areas of collaboration, IPFD Team Leader Tijan Betts outlined opportunities for corporate and institutional partners to support family house sponsorships, youth development initiatives and community-based programmes aimed at expanding sustainability and reach.
Officials said several partners already support children through sponsorship packages covering food, education, clothing and medical care, while youth-focused programmes provide mentorship, internships and start-up assistance.
More than 100 young people benefited from self-employment support last year, alongside training at the organization’s vocational centre in Basse, officials disclosed.
SOS Children’s Villages added that nearly half of its funding was derived from individual and corporate donors, highlighting the need for sustained partnerships.
The organization urged stakeholders to deepen cooperation to ensure vulnerable children were not left behind.
“Together, we can create lasting change for families and communities across The Gambia,” Kouamin remarked.
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