By Fatou Bojang
A five-day study tour organized by ActionAid International The Gambia (AAITG) is reshaping how students in rural Niamina engage with human rights and civic responsibility.
The initiative, spearheaded by AAITG’s Local Rights Program office in Kudang, brought together more than 60 students and teachers from seven schools whose human rights clubs have been trained to promote rights awareness in their communities.
Saiba T. Suso, Programme Manager said the tour was designed not just to educate students about national institutions but to empower human rights clubs to carry their advocacy work forward with greater confidence.
“These visits give students a deeper understanding of our country and equip them with the knowledge they need to champion human rights effectively,” Suso explained at Banjul International Airport.
During the tour, students met with commissioners at the National Human Rights Commission, where they received practical guidance on advocacy, complaint procedures, and the role of national institutions in protecting rights.
The visit, teachers say, has energized club members who now plan to strengthen rights education campaigns in their schools.
The itinerary also included stops at the Senegambia Bridge, ActionAid offices, the former president’s residence in Kanilai, Banjul International Airport, and later in the tour Kunta Kinte Island.
Teachers described the experience as transformative for students whose knowledge of national institutions had previously been limited to classroom lessons.
“This tour has opened their eyes,” said Bakary Ceesay of Sambel Kunda Upper Basic Cycle School. “Human rights clubs will now return to school better equipped to educate their peers and advocate for change.”
Elimane Sowe of Jarreng Upper Basic School said engaging directly with institutions he had only read about has strengthened his commitment to promoting rights in his community.
