GreenUp Gambia: Restoring nature and benefiting livelihoods

At 13, I first visited The Gambia with my mother, who supported a small local charity there and quickly fell in love with the country, its people and their warmth deep-rooted connection to nature.

Today, The Gambia is on the frontline of climate change. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and land degradation are threatening food security and livelihoods, especially in farming communities where over 75% of the population depends on rain-fed agriculture. In some regions, crop losses reach up to 70%, pushing families into extreme poverty.

Green-Up Gambia is on a mission to change this. They are youth-led, community-powered, and laser-focused on building regenerative solutions that work, from restoring degraded land to teaching the next generation of climate leaders.

I’m raising funds for three high-impact projects led by Green-Up Gambia:

Seed Banking in Northern Gambia

Preserving climate-resilient indigenous seeds to boost food security and agricultural productivity—especially for women and youth.

Summer Go Green

A movement of young volunteers planting trees across 10,000 hectares of degraded land, as part of a “one million trees” campaign.

Green Schools Project

Bringing climate education into schools, building tree nurseries, and training students in agroforestry. Already reaching 35 schools, with plans to double in two years.

This work matters—locally and globally. Every donation helps restore ecosystems, empower young people, and protect communities on the frontlines of climate change.

To support this mission, I’ll also be running a marathon on June 21st.

All proceeds go directly to Green-Up Gambia.

Thank you so much for your support.

(You can also follow this journey through my bi-weekly newsletter, starting with the story of Kemo Fatty, Green-Up’s incredible founder—who is now running for President of The Gambia.)

Find out more about Green Up Gambia's work here.