Gambia Participates

Gambia Participates is a non-for profit Civil Society organization that is founded by Marr Nyang in 2016. The organization focuses on promoting good governance through government research, advocacy and citizen engagement. In 2016, prior to the historical presidential elections, Gambia Participates started massive voter education and engagement in The Gambia. The organization reached close to 100,000 Gambians through online and offline voter sensitization. Gambia Participates introduced Mini-Election TechCamp in 2016 where journalists, activists and rural community ambassadors were trained on how to leverage on technology for voter education, election monitoring and reporting. After a success campaign, which saw The Gambia transition from autocracy to a new emerging democracy, Gambia Participates got its legal status in 2017 and the organization became prominent in combating public sector corruption and budget research and advocacy in The Gambia.

Through “Follow The Money” (an anti-corruption initiative of CODE) Gambia Participates conducts data mining, data analysis, and ground investigation to determine the state of public funds meant for rural community development. This initiative started in 2017 in partnership with Connected Development.

Ahead of the 2018 local government elections, Gambia Participates developed a mobile application called “Marble”. “Marble” is a unique election app that gives timely election results which is aimed to avoid electoral fraud. The application also educates voters on political party history, candidates and their manifestos, polling stations, electoral boundary demarcation by the Independent Electoral Commission etc.

In 2019, in partnership with the International Budget Partnership (IBP), Gambia Participates conducted the Open Budget Survey (OBS) in The Gambia in 2019. The Open Budget Survey is a fact-based research that evaluates governments around the world on Fiscal Transparency, Participation and Budget Oversight.

In May 2020, Gambia Participates published an investigation report called “Corona The Gambia and The Millions” an investigation that looks into the management of COVID-19 funds and the level of preparation of health facilities in The Gambia. The report attracted government reactions and it has received wide media coverage including CNN .

In 2019, the organization worked with Transparency International to identify victims of grand corruption in The Gambia that has suffered grand corruption under Yaya Jammeh’s regime. In its Participatory Video report, the documentary highlights the testimonies of victims who could not have the opportunity to testify at the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC). The video was eventually admitted as evidence on the truth seeking process of the TRRC.

In February 2020, Gambia Participates facilitated the review of the Gambia Anti-Corruption Bill 2019 with Parliamentarians, Media, CSOs and the Business Community. A retreat outcome document with amendment recommendations was compiled and sent to the National Assembly of The Gambia.

All the above are connected to Gambia Participates’ mission in “bettering the lives of communities by promoting good governance”

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