Mildred*, age 12, was born into a poor family in Kerawan Badala, a small village in The Gambia’s Upper River Region.
She remembers very little of her mother, who abandoned her and her younger brother to remarry another man across the border in Casamance, a town in neighbouring Senegal, south of The Gambia. . Her father’s poverty was so severe her mother left him, claiming he could not meet her needs.
Today, Mildred lives with her father, a single parent who struggles every day to feed his family. To earn a living, he uses his canoe to transport people across the river that separates the south and north bank villages of the region.
Overcoming barriers to education in The Gambia
Despite his small income, Mildred’s father provides for her basic needs and pays for her schooling, determined to help her achieve her dreams.
“I want to study at the University of The Gambia. It is my wish to become a medical doctor, so that I can change my family’s situation when I grow up, and make my father proud,” said Mildred.
Her father knows that quality education is key to this dream. Mildred first enrolled in her village’s local public school, completing first and second grade. But the poor standard of teaching soon became clear, and she transferred to the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Lower Basic School in Basse.
The transition proved difficult. Mildred had hoped to join third grade, but her entry test results fell short. Instead, the school placed her in grade two to strengthen her foundation. At first, the high standards at the School overwhelmed her.
But Mildred quickly showed her determination. With support from her teachers, she adapted, improved, and began to excel.
Her challenges didn’t end in the classroom. Each day, she wakes up very early to prepare for school, then sails across the river before 7am. On the other side, she rides her bicycle three kilometres (nearly two miles) to reach the campus.
Now in fifth grade, Mildred has persevered through these hardships for years. She remains punctual and always arrives in her neat school uniform – qualities she’s admired for.
Academic success: Mildred’s determination and achievements
Mildred’s father constantly encourages her to give her all at school, and her hard work is paying off.
She scored 100% in the National Assessment Test (NAT), an external exam organised by the West Africa Examinations Council.
Sitting the exam in third grade, she excelled in all core subjects, including English language, maths, sciences, and social and environmental studies. Her results ranked her as outstanding not only in her school but across the entire region.
She also ranked first in two regional exams: maths and a spelling competition organised by the regional board for education. Within her school, she continues to record the best results in every internal exam.
Mildred’s talents stretch beyond academics.
Her class teacher, Wally Mamadi, said: “Mildred is an excellent student. Her behaviour is exceptional and makes us [teachers] proud.”
She also shines in sports, racing in the 100m and 200m categories in both a regional competition and her school’s annual inter-house sports competition, winning first place in every race.
Education in The Gambia and the role of Basse’s SOS Hermann Gmeiner School
The Gambia remains one of the least developed countries in the world, with very high poverty rates.
In the 2013 United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index, the country ranked 165 out of 187 nations.
Although The Gambia’s constitution mandates free and compulsory primary education, limited resources and weak infrastructure hinder its implementation.
SOS Children’s Villages helps bridge this gap by providing quality education through SOS Children’s Villages schools in Basse and Bakoteh.
Locals praise the dedication and quality of teachers at the SOS Hermann Gmeiner School in Basse, often describing it as a beacon of hope for families in The Gambia’s Upper River Region.
*Name of child changed for privacy reasons