By Makutu Manneh
The government’s Women Enterprise Fund has supported about 80,000 women across 800 groups, with more than 90 million dalasis disbursed as of January 2026, the minister of gender, children, and social welfare, Fatou Kinteh, said on Tuesday.
Speaking on state broadcaster Gambia Radio and Television Services, Ms. Kinteh said the fund operates as a revolving loan scheme, with annual government allocations of 10 million dalasis supplemented by repayments that are reissued to new beneficiaries.
“We need more money as more and more women are applying for the loans,” she said, adding that the funds are being used for their intended purposes.
Ms. Kinteh drew a distinction between the ministry’s Women Enterprise Fund and a recently launched initiative by President Adama Barrow for members of the National People’s Party and its coalition partners. She said the ministry’s program is nonpartisan and open to all Gambian women.
“The fund we have is for all the women of The Gambia, irrespective of your political affiliation,” she said.
The minister said the program is primarily financed by the government, though it has recently received technical support from the United Nations Development Program, including training in entrepreneurship and assistance with a digital application for women. Additional support has come from the Spanish Embassy, she said, through staff training initiatives.
Ms. Kinteh said the fund was beginning to yield broader economic benefits, with some participants moving beyond group-based lending to establish independent businesses.
“That is very important,” she said, “because it is not only creating employment for the women, but they are in turn employing more people to run their businesses.”
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