The formal handing-over ceremony took place on Friday, 20 February 2026, at the Catholic Education Secretariat in Kanifing. The bicycles were donated by Rotary Ireland, a long-standing partner organisation of Caritas-Gambia.
Beneficiary schools include St. Therese’s Upper Basic School, Sareh Alpha Lower Basic School in the North Bank Region, St. Charles Upper Basic School in Faji Kunda, and Latrikunda Upper Basic School. Others are Baja Kunda Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School in Basse, St. Francis Upper Basic School in Kunkujang, Abu Huraira Islamic School, Oumar Bun Hatab Islamic School, and Madrassa Imam Malick, among many others.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs Rachel Grace Nicol, Head of Programmes and Human Resources at Caritas-Gambia, described the initiative as part of the organisation’s ongoing commitment to supporting Gambian children in overcoming barriers to education.
She highlighted that long distances to school often result in fatigue, lateness, and absenteeism. “By providing bicycles, we are giving students the means to arrive at school safely, on time, and ready to learn,” she stated.
Mrs Nicol emphasised that Caritas-Gambia’s vision extends beyond bicycles. “As the Catholic Development Office, Caritas-Gambia is committed to a holistic approach to child development and education,” she added.
She explained that in partnership with MoBSE, the Catholic Education Secretariat, communities, and stakeholders, Caritas will continue to provide refurbished bicycles to schools nationwide, ensuring mobility challenges do not hinder access to education.
Caritas-Gambia also pledged to contribute to improving water and sanitation facilities in rural schools, providing eyeglasses to students with vision challenges, and assisting needy students with learning materials whenever resources are mobilised. These commitments, Mrs Nicol noted, reflect Caritas’ mission to empower communities, promote dignity, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
Dr Habibatou Drammeh, Minister for Basic and Secondary Education, expressed gratitude to Caritas-Gambia’s board of governors and commended the organisation’s continued support for Gambian education. She noted that the partnership, which began in 2018, has yielded numerous developments in schooling programmes.
Dr Drammeh said the donation would go a long way in supporting children in need of transportation, assuring Caritas of her ministry’s commitment to strengthening the partnership to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive in education.
Pedro Gomez, Project Manager at Caritas-Gambia and moderator of the event, applauded the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), MOBSE, and the Ministry of Finance for their support in clearing consignments at the ports. He further thanked Rotary Ireland for their generosity in providing bicycles to Gambian children.
