A Step Towards Justice: Gambia Safeguarding Update (May 2022)

Today, Penny Appeal welcomes the Gambian Attorney General’s efforts to serve justice on behalf of those who have reported deeply distressing acts of abuse. New charges being brought against alleged perpetrators represent a positive step forward in ensuring healing for those whose care was compromised.

The allegations concern former partners operating independently in The Gambia and first came to light in August 2020. They violated everything we stand for as a charity that exists to better the lives of the most vulnerable, at home and abroad.

Since then, we have expended every effort in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those that we have directly or indirectly been supporting in the Gambia.

Penny Appeal have been coordinating extensively with the Gambian government and a range of independent safeguarding and child protection agencies. For close to a year, we have been working with the International Social Service (ISS) in ensuring every child that was under the care of our previous partners has a long-term, holistic package of support.

Furthermore, we have implemented a wide array of organisational and safeguarding enhancements to ensure our commitment to the safety and care of vulnerable individuals is stronger than ever before. Our work is far from over and together, we will continue to further our vision of transforming small change into a big difference for those who need it most.