Switched on Gambia, The Gambia

Switched On-Gambia is based primarily in the Central River Region of The Gambia, where many communities rely on candles and batteries as their main source of lighting due to limited access to electricity.

Location: The Gambia

They operate a scheme to rent out solar lamps distributed through solar libraries set up in schools; currently there are 20 established in and around the off-grid rural communities around the Central River Region.

The weekly cost of a lamp is the equivalent of the cost of a candle, and after so many weeks of payment, the family then own the lamps, equipping them with sustainable lighting and energy for the future.

In the summer of 2019, with a contribution from the BGF, Switched On-Gambia acquired a pickup truck, drastically improving distribution and operations for Switched On-Gambia coordinator Michael Mendy and other staff.

Read a case study published by Book Aid International and the effect Switched On-Gambia has made to the lives of school children here.

BGF funded the project since its inception and, thanks to our partnership with Book Aid International, facilitate the shipment of thousands of brand-new books to schools and libraries.