Sunu Reew Medical Mission, with the support of Zakat Foundation of America, distributed 3,125 40lb bags of high-grade Jasmine rice, valued at approximately US$200,000, to organisations and people in need across the country. Grassroots organisations helped ensure the support reached communities and individuals across The Gambia.

But the rice distribution is only one part of a much bigger story.

MORE THAN DONATIONS

Sunu Reew Medical Mission has been bringing medical and allied health professionals to The Gambia every year to provide free healthcare services and, importantly, work alongside their Gambian colleagues.

Previous missions have combined direct patient care with knowledge exchange and professional training. Visiting healthcare professionals have worked with their counterparts at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), providing free medical services while sharing experience and expertise with local healthcare workers.

The organisation has also invested in future healthcare professionals. Students from the School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences have received support to attend professional workshops, while laptops and tablets have been donated to students and different departments at EFSTH.

In April 2026, another significant contribution arrived. Sunu Reew Medical Mission donated a 40-foot container filled with medical supplies and equipment worth more than D14 million to EFSTH and affiliated hospitals.

Their work has also reached beyond hospital walls.

Community health outreaches have been hosted with the support of renowned Gambian musician and educator Sona Jobarteh, bringing healthcare services closer to communities and people who may otherwise have limited access to them.

AND THEY ARE COMING BACK IN 2027

The work is continuing, with an even larger mission being planned for April and May 2027.
A multidisciplinary international team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, educators, creatives and other professionals from the United States, United Kingdom, Ghana and Nigeria is expected to travel to The Gambia and work alongside Gambian colleagues.

The medical team will include specialists in orthopaedic, vascular, general and plastic surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, infectious diseases, wound care, anaesthesiology and psychiatry, alongside nurses, nurse anaesthetists, pharmacists and other professionals.

A major community health outreach is planned for 1 May 2027.

WHEN LOCAL BUSINESSES BECOME PART OF THE STORY

There is another part of this story that is particularly close to us at My Gambia.

During the 2027 mission, the visiting team will stay at Bakadaji Hotel, one of our long-standing partners. Bakadaji is supporting the mission in recognition of the valuable service these professionals are coming to provide to communities in The Gambia.

For those who know Bakadaji, their involvement will not come as a surprise. Over the years, we have seen the hotel support different community initiatives and find ways to give back to the country in which it operates. Earlier in 2026, Bakadaji also collaborated with Sunu Reew Medical Mission on a health screening for its staff.

This is the kind of partnership we love to see.

International organisations can contribute resources and expertise. Gambian healthcare professionals bring their knowledge and understanding of local needs. Grassroots organisations help reach communities. And local businesses can contribute through the resources and opportunities available to them.

Different people and organisations, each doing their part.

At My Gambia, we believe these stories deserve visibility too. The Gambia is much more than beaches, hotels and holidays. Behind the tourism experience are communities, professionals, organisations and businesses working every day to make a difference.

And sometimes, the greatest impact happens when they work together.