Kanifing is a commercial and tourist hub of The Gambia, making it a key destination for Gambian migrants returning from abroad and others seeking economic opportunities. Since 2017, over 12,000 Gambians have returned home with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration, many of them after migrating to Europe through irregular pathways. Despite Kanifing’s bustling economy, returnees and migrants often struggle to find dignified livelihood opportunities in the city.
Most migrants and returnees in Kanifing come from low-income backgrounds and face significant barriers to economic inclusion, including stigma, psychological trauma, and high levels of debt. This is especially true for women, who have limited access to childcare and lack the community support needed to pursue income-generating opportunities. Existing employment assistance and start-up programs in Kanifing cater to young, highly skilled, and tech-savvy entrepreneurs, excluding migrants and returnees with lower levels of formal education. As a result, there is a critical gap in the city’s economic inclusion ecosystem: a need for a people-centered model that creates livelihoods while providing the social and emotional support returnees and migrants need to thrive.
