The Gambia

In The Gambia mental health services for children are virtually non-existent and there are no referral systems for children experiencing mental health disorders, and only part time specialist paediatric psychiatric services.   When mental health conditions deteriorate, children often end up out of school and in prison.  Children and young people affected by mental disorders suffer lasting and wide-ranging adverse effects including on their education performance, social interactions, interpersonal skills, self-esteem and coping skills going into adulthood.  In addition to poor mental health funding, inadequate facilities and lack of trained personnel, most people in The Gambia believe that mental health disorders are associated with evil spirits and do not seek professional help.

The Gambia was our first post-pandemic overseas CATT training trip in February 2022. This was organised and planned with our in-country partner WAYAS Counselling & Psychotherapy Service, with an experienced training team from Uganda and the UK.   The trip resulted in the award of 18 CATT certificates to counsellors from a variety of local NGOs and Government agencies, presented to them by the Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare. Follow-up supervision is being co-ordinated by WAYAS. There was also a wider purpose to the trip, in terms of promoting WAYAS and mental health service development within The Gambia. Members of the team accompanied Alhagie to a meeting at the National Human Rights Commission, and visited the country’s only psychiatric hospital, Tanka Tanka, plus a Government-run children’s shelter.