Food Security & Livelihoods

In The Gambia, bread is a daily staple eaten with almost every meal. Whether eaten with beans, eggs, stew, or simply with mayonnaise and tea, bread is a daily essential for Gambian families. Yet, for the residents of Siffoe community in Kombo South District, access to fresh, affordable bread was once a luxury. 

Located more than 40 kilometres from the capital, Banjul, and home to over 6,000 people, mostly farmers and horticulturists, the community had to travel long distances or rely on irregular supply to access bread.

That changed in 2022 when ChildFund, through its local partner Foni Ding Ding Federation, funded the establishment of a bakery in the community. What seemed like a simple oven changed things for the entire village.

Ebrima Manneh, 48, had worked most of his life as a baker, earning as little as $1 a day. “My life was almost shattered before ChildFund arrived at my home,” he says.

“But when they arrived, they sponsored my daughter, ensuring she could attend school with all her basic needs met. Then, they asked me what kind of support I needed, and I said, ‘If I had my own bakery, I could feed my family and serve my community.’  And they listened.”

Under ChildFund’s Livelihood Strengthening Program, Ebrima was trained, equipped, and supported to establish his own bakery. Today, he employs six young people and produces enough bread to serve over 300 households in Siffoe and neighbouring villages daily.

“Since the bakery started, my income has tripled, I earn over 1000 Dalasi per day” he says. “I now earn enough to feed my family of ten and send all my children to school without skipping meals.”

But the impact goes far beyond Ebrima’s household.

Bread for All, Right at Home

Before the bakery, residents often had to travel several kilometres or pay inflated prices for bread. “We used to spend up to D20 per loaf, sometimes more,” says Awa, a mother of four. “Now we buy it for D10, and it’s fresh and right next door.”

Children are also benefiting. “My kids used to go to school on an empty stomach because we couldn’t afford breakfast,” Awa continues. “Now we always have bread in the morning. They love it.”

The bakery has also helped foster entrepreneurship in the community. “I started selling breakfast (beans, akara, etc) and tea just outside the bakery,” says Fatou, a young woman in the village. “Every morning, I have customers waiting. It has become my main source of income.”

A Community-Owned Venture

Although the bakery is based at Ebrima’s home, he insists it belongs to the whole community. “Everyone in this village is a winner as far as this bakery is concerned,” he says proudly. “Even if I am not around, the bakery runs because the team has been trained to continue.”

To ensure sustainability, ChildFund and Ding Ding Yiriwa Federation trained Ebrima on how to manage his business, helped him open a savings account, and connected him with local suppliers. A portion of the profits is reinvested into the bakery for repairs, expansion, and in school supplies for his children.

Clean Water, Too

Recognizing the need for clean water in baking and daily family life, ChildFund also supported the community, including Ebrima’s household with materials to connect to the main water supply. A tap was installed, providing safe, clean water for both the bakery and the community.

Looking Ahead

Ebrima hopes to expand the bakery in the coming year. “If we had a bigger oven and storage, we could serve more villages. I dream of hiring more youth and even training school dropouts to become bakers.” He pauses, reflecting on how far he has come: “I used to worry every day about feeding my children. Now, I’m helping feed a whole community. That’s something I never imagined would be possible.”