Shape International

Farafenni – Mr. Lamin Fatajo, retired director from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, delivered a compelling presentation emphasising the critical importance of disability inclusion in national policies and strategies. He highlighted that disability inclusion means intentionally integrating the needs and perspectives of persons with disabilities in policy design, implementation, and evaluation to ensure equitable access to education, employment, healthcare, and civic participation. Mr. Fatajo's mde these remarks while presenting a paper on Disability Inclusion in Policies and Strategies during a multi stakeholders forum on the inclusion of persons with disabilities into policies held at the Wallimann Hotel in Farafenni, North Bank Region, from 21 to 22 August 2025. Mr. Fatajo outlined three key models of disability, namely - The Charity Model, criticized for promoting dependency; The Medical Model, which overlooks social barriers; and The Social Model, advocating ba...

Farafenni, North Bank Region – The Gambia Federation of the Disabled (GFD), in partnership with ChildFund The Gambia, convened a two-day forum on August 21-22, 2025 at Wallymann Hotel to review and advance disability rights, focusing on policy gaps and legislative reforms. The forum brought together government officials, community leaders, disability advocates, and policy experts, including the Alkalo and District Chief of Farafenni. It was moderated by Mr. Sainey Camara, Executive Director of GFD, with participation from Mr. Sunkung Danso of ChildFund The Gambia. In his keynote address, His Worship Muhammed Krubally, Chairperson of GFD and Principal Magistrate of Banjul Magistrate’s Court, stated: "Our principles must be explained, respected, promoted, and protected. They cannot be compromised." He emphasized the need to align the Persons with Disabilities Act 2021 with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to ensure comprehensive i...