By Assan Sanneh
First and foremost, I give heartfelt thanks to Almighty God, the eternal source of my strength and perseverance. I am also deeply grateful to my parents, who, despite living in difficult conditions, taught me the values of humility and resilience. My appreciation also goes to my early teachers and pupil master for igniting my curiosity and inspiring me to keep striving. Above all, I owe an enduring debt of gratitude to Caroline, Nick, and the entirety of The Bansang Swiss Project (BSP), whose belief in me turned dreams into reality. Growing up in Niamina Pinai, a remote village in rural Gambia, over 300 kilometres from Banjul, the capital of the Gambia, meant growing up in an environment where basic social amenities such as electricity, clean water, and quality education were largely unavailable. Becoming a lawyer was a far-fetched idea, more fantasy than goal. We had no professionals to look up to, just parents working tirelessly on farms, and children juggling school and chores. Despite these realities, I was fortunate to attend Sofaniama Lower Basic School, several kilometres from home. Though the school lacked basic infrastructure and learning materials, I excelled and progressed to Sambang Upper Basic School, walking over six kilometres daily, through heat and rain and often on an empty stomach. In 2013, I transferred to Dankunku Basic Cycle School, facing yet another and similar academic environment that demanded quick adaptation and renewed effort. At Dankunku Basic Cycle School, I succeeded in the GABECE national exams, earning me a place at Nusrat Senior Secondary School, one of best academic institutions in The Gambia. I registered in the Arts stream at Nusrat, and my ambition to study law became clear. In 2016, I graduated with strong results and was admitted to the University of the Gambia (UTG) to study Law, becoming the first from my family and village to do so. Life at the University was a new world, filled with excitement, but also serious challenges, chief among them was funding. Tuition fees for the law program (LLB) stood at D41,000 (approximately $640 USD) per year, totaling over D164,000 (around $2,560 USD) for four years. In my first year, my family could only raise D15,000 ($230 USD). I had to plead with lecturers to write exams without proper registration. This delay impacted my academic performance. But I never gave up. I knew what was at stake. Everything changed in 2018 when I was awarded a full scholarship by the Bansang Swiss Project (BSP). The BSP covered the remaining years of tuition, provided a laptop, basic needs, and emotional support. Investing over D172,000 (USD 2,400) in my undergraduate studies, which I successfully completed in December 2020 and formally graduated in 2021. Despite the demanding nature of my LLB program, I successfully balanced my academic commitments with impactful extracurricular initiatives aimed at promoting education and social development in rural Gambia, particularly within the Central River Region (CRR). One of my most notable contributions was co-founding and serving as the inaugural Secretary of the Dankunku Ex-Students’ Association, the first officially registered alumni body affiliated with the school. This initiative was created to foster and promote access to education in Niamina Dankunku, CRR. Under my leadership, the association spearheaded community sensitisation campaigns, delivered career guidance and counselling, and worked closely with local stakeholders to elevate education as a pillar of sustainable rural development. The association has since become a leading model of alumni-driven advocacy in underserved regions. In addition, in 2017, I co-founded and served as the first Secretary of the Pinai Youth Development Association, a grassroots movement aimed at strengthening tribal unity, social cohesion, and inclusive progress within Niamina Pinai. The association was founded on the principle that our common development should transcend tribal and cultural differences, fostering a shared identity rooted in unity, respect, and common goals. Through its activities, we conduct annual cleanups, fire belt maintenance, tree planting, and community dialogue to promote environmental awareness and strengthen communal bonds. In 2023, I was admitted to the Bar Programme at the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD) in Rwanda, where the BSP fully sponsored my studies with over D216,000 (USD 3,000) in tuition, D576,000 (USD8,000) for accommodation, feeding, and air travel and many other ancillary expenses. Their support covered my tuition, accommodation, travel and living expenses, and enabled me to focus entirely on my studies for one and a half year. I remain deeply grateful for this invaluable and dignified experience, and I remain deeply grateful. In 2024, I returned to The Gambia and began my pupillage at Crown Chambers under Senior Counsel Borry S Touray Esq. Based in Sanyang, I woke up at 4:00am daily to reach the office in Banjul by 8:00am. It was demanding, filled with long hours and practical challenges but also deeply rewarding. Once again, the BSP supported me with a six-month monthly stipend of D17,000 (USD 240) to cover my travel expenses, as I was unpaid during this period. I completed my pupillage on the 28th day of March 2025, and by July 2025, I passed my enrolment interview and have had some support with D23,000 (USD 320) in acquiring my wig, gown and other expenses. I am now approved to be enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Gambia and I have formally taken my oath on 30th day of July 2025. My journey, from a rural village with no role models, to the threshold of the country’s highest court, is a testament to faith, sacrifice, and solid determination. Without the Bansang Swiss Project’s generous investment of over D1,080,0005 (USD15,000) and unwavering support, this would have remained a distant dream. To every young boy or girl in rural Gambia, you are not defined by your village. Your dreams are valid. Keep going. As I look to the future, I remain committed to using my legal career to serve, uplift, and advocate, and I carry forward the torch that the Bansang Swiss Project so selflessly lit in me. The journey continues.
