Empowering Gambian Youth →
Goals For Gambia partners with local communities to deliver real, lasting change — from structured football camps to funding borehole drilling projects — so every young Gambian can dream big and chase those dreams.
Goals For Gambia is a student-led foundation dedicated to empowering Gambian youth through football, education, and access to clean water.
Goals For Gambia partners with North Star Academy AFC and the North Bank Regional Football Association to deliver real, lasting change in the community of Kerr Jatta, Nuimi. From running summer camps to funding borehole drilling projects, our mission is to merge sports development with community empowerment so that every young Gambian has the tools to dream big and the resources to chase those dreams.
Deliver structured football training, mentorship, and life skills workshops that help young Gambians excel on and off the field.
Fund borehole drilling projects so entire communities have access to clean, reliable water — the foundation of every other opportunity.
Work hand-in-hand with local academies, schools, and leaders to build programs that last long after we go home.
Our journey so far — and we're just getting started.
Launched and ran the first-ever soccer camp in the North Bank Region, bringing school pupils from Nuimi together for structured football training, mentorship, and life skills workshops.
Partnered on the Community Borehole Drilling Project in Kerr Jatta to bring clean, reliable water to the community — working alongside the local construction team from day one.
Contributed to the construction of the first full turf football field in The Gambia at the North Star AFC Mini-Stadium.
Distributed footballs, jerseys, kits, and gear to dozens of young athletes across the North Bank Region.
At the camp's closing ceremony, attended by the provincial governor and FA directors, our founders were named honorary citizens of The Gambia — a moment we'll never forget.
Spent time with students and families across the region, learning their stories and building lasting relationships.
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Meet the students behind Goals for Gambia.
I am a 17-year-old student at Gulliver Preparatory School with a passion for making a positive impact in the world. I have always believed that actions no matter the size create meaningful change, especially when there is purpose, consistency, and effort behind it. Outside of academics, I love playing soccer, and that is what sparked this organization. My interest in the Gambia comes from a desire to support communities and to make a true difference in something bigger than myself.
I'm driven by growth, leadership, and creating impact. Soccer has shaped much of who I am, teaching me discipline, accountability, and how to lead within a team. Through Goals for Gambia, I've been able to turn that mindset into action by using soccer to help build opportunities for others. Experiencing this work firsthand showed me how initiative and purpose can translate into real impact.
I am a student who loves soccer and helping others. I organized and helped run a soccer camp in The Gambia, where I worked with young players and learned a lot about teamwork and leadership. My goal in The Gambia is to help young athletes improve their soccer skills and build confidence. I want to use soccer to give them more opportunities, like joining academies or continuing their education. This experience has helped me grow and become more grateful and motivated.
I am a student at Gulliver Prep and a soccer player at Miami Futbol Academy Rush. Soccer has always been a valuable part of my life, not simply because I have enjoyed playing the sport, but because it has taught me important life lessons in teamwork, discipline, and connecting with different people. This project goes beyond the game of soccer; it's about creating opportunities, building confidence, and leveling the playing field.
Our 5v5 soccer tournament was a huge success! All donations went directly to turning our goals into realities. Congratulations to our winning team who took home North Star Academy jerseys as a prize.
Follow our journey through the 2nd edition of the Goals For Gambia Soccer Camp. From visiting boreholes to coaching hundreds of young players, this is what real impact looks like.
We immediately went to visit our borehole and talked to the locals about the impact this second borehole had. It was placed in a market where thousands of people go through each day, and they said how our borehole allowed thousands to have access to drinking water and public bathrooms for free.
Incredible first day filled with competition and fun! Even though nearly all campers were new, it felt like we had known them much longer than a few hours. While the language barriers make communication difficult, we were still able to communicate and have fun with the campers.
Our team went on a journey to Buniadu to open our next borehole. It is located in a gardening community where the borehole will be invaluable to their work. The women of the village explained how prior to the borehole they had to fetch heavy buckets from a hole in the ground; now they have easy and quick access to water. One said this was a “dream come true.”
We also trained with the first team of North Star. It was great to rekindle with familiar faces from last year's trip and seeing new faces as well.
Another great day of camp! At the end of camp, our team gave every camper a sandwich, water, and a dessert, and it felt good to see the smiles on the campers' faces. After camp, we began handing out equipment from our clothes drive. Seeing kids of all ages getting completely new clothes was incredible — it truly reflects the whole purpose of our mission.
Scenes on our way to the capital of The Gambia, Banjul. These images show the reality of the communities we serve and the world our campers live in every day.
After arriving in Banjul, our team took an hour drive to the rural community of Mamuda to open our next borehole. This location was chosen by Ebou Jarra and Abdou Faye, who recognized that this community lacks access to any water, so this borehole will go a long way for their community.
With the help of North Star Academy, we were able to locate a 2nd division women's team who has a lack of equipment. They are a professional team without any soccer balls, so we gave them a bag of balls and pennies! Good luck to Future Bi and hopefully they get promoted to the first division!
Today we started our all camp tournament, so it was a very competitive and fun day. Today was also our last day of training. The team has an important league game tomorrow, so we kept things light. At the end, the team did their songs and dance. Hopefully we see these guys soon.
Last day of camp, a bittersweet moment for everyone. It was a great week of football and we are proud of every single camper. They showed competitiveness, respect, and care throughout the week, and they taught us just as much as we taught them. We also want to thank Ebou Jarra and the whole North Star for making year 2 a success. As always, nil desperandum.
Every contribution helps us get more kits on more kids and more smiles on the pitch. Join us in making a difference.
Donate via GoFundMe (coming soon)Link will be added shortly.