With her new borehole initiative aimed at ending the daily nightmares women in area faced, her new borehole initiative worth D300,000 has now brought joy to many in the area.
From the look of things, women farmers in Farato, who once fought over water now celebrate a future of dignity, productivity, and peace.
For Binta Tunkara, president of the Farato Farm Kambeng Kafo, life before the borehole was a constant tug-of-war over water.
“We have been begging for water for the longest,” she recalled. “By evening, we would argue among ourselves because everyone was only allowed to fetch two gallons. Families with more members benefitted, but the rest of us suffered. At times, we stayed in the farm until midnight, then rushed back at 4 a.m. just to get water before NAWEC shut the taps. I barely had time for my family.” she added.
But with the new borehole, Binta says those battles are now history. “This gift will not only strengthen our families, but would also boost our farming. We say a very big thank you to Neneh.”
Another gardener, Kaddy Camara, who was overwhelmed with joy, thanked the philanthropist for the gesture.
According to her, she was elated when Neneh showed up with drilling machines.
“This garden is huge, but some areas had no water at all. We had been promised help so many times before, but no one delivered. When Neneh returned with the drillers, we could not believe it,” she said.
Today, water flows freely across the farm, changing everything. “Eighty percent of the women here are breadwinners of their respective families. Some even wanted to take other jobs because of the water challenge. Now, with this borehole, life has changed. We will never forget this kindness.”
Modou Lamin Jatta, assistant Farm Manager, shared similar gratitude: “The women here suffered a lot before. We relied on NAWEC, and that always led to poor harvests. With this borehole, our lives have been uplifted. We thank Neneh for improving our future.”
For Neneh Cheyasin Kebbeh, the initiative was born not out of wealth, but out of compassion.
“I moved to Gambia four years ago looking for ways to make a difference,” she said. “A friend told me about Farato Farm. When I came here, the women hesitated to speak at first because they were used to being abandoned after empty promises. But when Binta finally opened up, I realized the crisis was worse than I thought. They had no reliable water source, and their crops, their livelihood kept dying.”
That night, Neneh could not sleep. The next day, she called the same man who drilled the borehole at her house. And within weeks, a life-saving water system was in place. “They were shocked to see me come back,” she recalled. “Most people never do.”
The project, which cost D300,000, was designed not only for irrigation, but also to provide safe drinking water. “We installed filters because some families couldn’t even afford clean water,” she explained.
For Neneh, the borehole is just the beginning of a bigger dreams.
“I don’t think it’s just about water. These women need to be taught modern farming, vertical farming, AI farming, 21st-century methods. If we replicate this in just 10 communities, we could boost vegetable production in Gambia by 30 percent,” she said passionately.
She envisions expanding her work to rural Gambia and calls on the Diaspora to join the effort.
“There are so many broken systems; healthcare, schools, infrastructure. But farming is one of the fastest ways to lift people out of poverty. Most of these women are single mothers, some with ten children, all living below the poverty line. Through farming, they can feed their kids, pay school fees, and live with dignity.”
With a laugh, Neneh admitted she almost spent the D300,000 on jewelry. “But God redirected me here, and I’ve never felt more fulfilled. Seeing these women smile, knowing nearly 200 farmers’ lives have been changed—this is one of the proudest moments of my life.”
Her work, she insists, has only begun. “I feel like God gave me this platform to be the voice of the voiceless. One person alone can’t fix Gambia, but if we work together, we can transform lives. This is my new passion, and I’m excited for the journey ahead.”
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