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Gâmbia / President Barrow celebrates 738 Young Women As SWEDD+ Broosts Women’s Economic Empowerment

Bissau, 02 Jul 26 (ANG) – A major milestone in the Gambia´s drive for inclusive development and women’s empowerment was marked today, Wednesday 1^st July 2026, as His Excellency Adama Barrow President over the SWEDD+ Certification ceremony held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo.

Organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare under the Sahel women´s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend plus (SWEDD+) Programmed, the event celebrated 738 out-of-school adolescent girls and young women who successfully completed an intensive three -month entrepreneurship and business management training.

Each graduate represents a story of resilience, ambition, and transformation, moving from vulnerability to opportunity, and from training to enterprise creation.

As part of Government´s empowerment package, the beneficiaries have also received over D32.9 million in start-up grants, enabling them to Lauch income-generating activities and strengthen their economic independence, this forms part of a wider national commitment of D117 million supporting 2,064 young women across the country.

President Barrow reaffirmed that empowering women and girls is central to national development, noting that no country can realise its full potential without the participation of all its citizens. He urged the graduates to use the support responsibly, build sustainable businesses, and serve as role models in their communities.

The initiative is being implemented in partnership with development actors, including the world bank, whose continued support has bee key in advancing inclusive growth and human capital development in the Gambia.

Through SWEDD+, Government continues to expand opportunities for young women, strengthen livelihoods, and build a more resilient and prosperous nation.

ANG/ Gambia Daily