Njie Charakh, a Gambian businessman, is significantly impacting the careers of young Gambian women by fostering entrepreneurship and providing mentorship. He collaborates with young business startups to enhance opportunities for youth innovation, particularly among women. This initiative encourages women to start businesses in sectors such as fashion, food, and trading, empowering them to achieve financial independence. Successful entrepreneurs like Mariama Ceesay and Aisha Ali Ceesay, CEO of House of Kaisha, exemplify this shift, demonstrating how support and training can transform aspirations into thriving enterprises, ultimately reshaping the socio-economic landscape for women in The Gambia.
Njie Charakh World Market, founded by Njie Charakh, is a transformative force in The Gambia, focussing on empowering women and youth through entrepreneurship. Starting from humble beginnings, Njie faced numerous challenges before establishing a successful business that imports clothing and other products from China.
His commitment to community upliftment led to the creation of training programs that have educated over 12,000 women in entrepreneurship. Recently, he graduated 500 women from his training schools in Basse and Farafenni, emphasising practical skills and financial literacy essential for business success. Njie’s approach combines mentorship with direct support, providing resources and materials to help these women thrive.
His business serves not only as a retail outlet but also as a hub for entrepreneurial education. Njie advocates for women’s empowerment, recognising their potential to drive economic growth. His initiatives have inspired many young Gambians, helping them transition from dependency to independence.
Njie Charakh’s efforts extend beyond business; he supports vulnerable populations with stipends and resources
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“My vision is to cultivate a new generation of self-sufficient entrepreneurs who can contribute significantly to The Gambia’s economy,” Njie told The Standard.
Njie is currently implementing all these initiatives singlehanded.
Community members and women entrepreneurs have called for increased support for Njie, recognising his efforts align with national development goals. They argue that empowering individuals like him can significantly enhance job creation and economic growth in the country.
Modou Ceesay, an economist, told The Standard that the government could greatly benefit from supporting individuals like Njie Charakh, who actively contribute to women’s empowerment and economic development.
“I understand that his initiatives have trained over 12,000 women in entrepreneurship. This is without a doubt addressing critical issues such as youth unemployment and limited access to capital for female entrepreneurs,” he said. Ceesay said the government should by now recognise Njie’s efforts.
Njie Charakh has now expanded his reach towards promoting locally made products. He is currently partnering with a good number of young entrepreneurs, helping to promote and sell their products at his shop. “Supporting locally made products is vital for The Gambia’s economy for several reasons,” Ceesay added.
He said promoting local businesses generates employment opportunities, particularly for youth and women, who face high unemployment rates.
“Encouraging local production helps diversify the economy beyond traditional sectors like agriculture and tourism, fostering resilience against economic shocks. Supporting local entrepreneurs also cultivates skills and self-sufficiency, enabling communities to thrive independently and reduce reliance on imports,” he stated.
Young business owners in The Gambia partnering with Njie continue to express strong support for him, praising his commitment to empowering women and youth through entrepreneurship training.
Fatou Jallow, one of the beneficiaries of his initiative, highlights Njie Charakh’s unique educational approach that fosters passion and practical knowledge, enabling participants to transform small investments into significant enterprises.
“This initiative is crucial for tackling youth unemployment and enhancing community development. Overall, there’s a collective optimism about the future of Gambian entrepreneurship under Njie Charakh’s guidance,” she said.
Njie’s interventions do not have any boundaries, and his approach is based on no discrimination. Following the graduation of over 12,000 women and young entrepreneurs, Njie has decided to expand his business and open businesses for many of his graduates across the country.
Aisha Ali Ceesay, CEO of House of Kaisha, said Njie has been a blessing to her and many other young women who have at some point lost hope. Aisha is among the few young entrepreneurs partnering with Njie in his campaign to promote locally made Gambian products.
“I can only pray for Njie’s wellbeing because there is nothing that he has not done for me. Before partnering with him, I was struggling to sell my products, but since I started working with him, my business has boomed,” she said. Aisha said the partnership with Njie is helping take care of her family and pay her university bills.
Mariama Ceesay, also a beneficiary of Njie’s initiative, said Gambian women are proud of the selfless businessman.
“Njie could have kept his money in the bank and mined his business, but no, he instead decided to share his profit with Gambian women to help tem grow,” she said.
Njie said he is motivated by the fact that his efforts have been realised by those who are benefiting from them.
“For me, everything I do is for the interest of the people and my country. This is why I have made a commitment not to keep the profit I am making to myself when there are thousands struggling to make ends meet,” he said.
He called on the government to allocate him a plot of land and financial support to build a university focussing on business and entrepreneurship training for Gambian youths and women.
