The Gambia is the smallest mainland country in Africa. It is surrounded on the north, south and east by Senegal, and closely follows the course of The Gambia River. A former British colony, The Gambia gained independence in 1965. The capital city is Banjul.

The Gambia has a population of around 1.5 million, made up of several people groups, each with their own languages and customs. The largest people group is the Mandinka, followed by the Wolof, Fula, Jola and Serahule. The focal point of every town and village is the mosque, from which the call to prayer can be heard five times a day. There is freedom of religion in Gambia, but the vast majority of people, over 95%, are Muslims.

Many Gambian men have more than one wife, and the extended family live together on compounds made up of huts or simple cement buildings. It is the responsibility of family members who work to support those who do not, and many men from rural areas travel to the coast or abroad in search of work so that they can look after their families. Those who remain behind, both men and women, practice subsistence farming of maize, millet and peanuts. Peanuts are also a major export of the country.

Most rural villages do not have electricity, and even in areas where there is electricity it is far from reliable. Water is collected from taps or wells in the streets. Women cook in big pots over open fires, and men and women eat in seperate groups around communal food bowls. The family is very important to the Gambian people, and it is rare to find orphans or old people who are not being taken care of by the extended family. They look after each other in a way which is challenging to us with our western mindset.