Binta becomes a farmer
In just two years, her life has completely changed.
In the small village of Kerr Malick Nana, in the heart of Upper Nuimi District in The Gambia, Binta Magasa’s story is reigniting hope and change. Once trapped in poverty and lacking resources, today Binta is living proof of what can be achieved through targeted support and determination.
Binta has four children and a husband with a disability who is unable to work. She was left to support the entire family on her own. Her farming efforts were limited to tiny plots of land, barely enough to feed her loved ones.
“I dreamed for years of farming my land, but I had no tools and no money to start. I had to wait for others to finish using their tools, and most of the time I couldn’t afford to rent them.”
Everything changed when ActionAid stepped in to offer support — in line with the mission of the Dalaba Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture Training Centre, which trains and empowers young people across The Gambia with new opportunities for the future.
Binta received farming tools and a donkey, which allowed her to cultivate over a hectare of land for the first time in her life. “I had decided not to farm this year because I couldn’t afford it. But ActionAid’s support didn’t just change my mind — it changed my whole life.”
The results were nothing short of extraordinary. In the past, she could only harvest three bags of groundnuts. Today, thanks to the support she received, she can harvest fifteen — and grow millet too. She no longer fears that her family will go hungry.
“The millet I harvested lasted ten months — that had never happened before. Usually, it lasted no more than three months,” she said, smiling with joy.”
But this success brought more than just a full granary: it lifted Binta and her family out of poverty.
In just two years, her life has completely changed. “I no longer live on charity alone. I feel strong, independent, and full of hope. ActionAid didn’t just support my farm — they rewrote my story.”
Today, Binta’s growing farm is a beacon of hope, showing what is possible when communities receive the right support. Her success is proof that it takes just a little to unlock potential and transform lives.
As she says herself, with heartfelt gratitude:
“Thank you, ActionAid, for changing my story and giving me hope.”
