My local patch – Farasuto Community Forest
I grew up in the small rural village of Kuloro which is about an hour’s drive from Banjul. Nearby is the forested area of Farasuto where I would fetch firewood for my mother. On a few occasions, I met people who were observing the birds and other wildlife and I was fascinated by the wide variety of species. This interest grew into a passion and I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. To achieve this dream, I completed a three year training course to gain a professional licence from The Gambia Tourist Board. I also joined The Gambia Birdwatching Association and started guiding at Kotu Bridge in 2015. Since then, I have served as a senior executive member of the Birdwatchers Association and continue to provide expert guiding services in The Gambia and Senegal.
Apart from guiding, I am actively involved in protecting The Gambia’s important vital wildlife refuges from urban development and raise awareness of the importance of these natural resources through education and community participation.
