GAMBIA
The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is the smallest country on mainland Africa, located along the Gambia River and surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for its Atlantic coastline. The capital city is Banjul, while Serekunda and Brikama are its largest population centers. As of 2023–2025 estimates, the population is approximately 2.7–2.8 million people.
The Gambia is ethnically diverse, with major groups including the Mandinka, Fula, Wolof, Jola, and Serahule, each with distinct languages, traditions, and social structures. English is the official language, but local languages such as Mandinka, Wolof, and Fula are widely spoken in daily life. Gambian culture is shaped by strong Muslim influences, community-based living, and deeply rooted family and social traditions.
FAMILY
This category includes anything related to a client’s home life, relationships with parents, siblings, or extended family, and the roles they play within their household. It also covers family expectations, communication patterns, cultural values, responsibilities, conflicts, and any major events or changes happening at home. The goal is to understand how the client’s family environment shapes their daily stress, emotional wellbeing, and behavior.
Explains extended-family systems, marriage structures, women’s roles, household responsibilities, and how Gambian families organize socially.
Details community expectations, gender roles, family pressures, and how rural Gambian families make decisions about children and youth.
This webpage offers an accessible overview of family relations in The Gambia, covering topics such as household roles, parenting, marriage customs, and the importance of extended family networks.
This article reflects on how the concept of family is evolving in The Gambia, exploring how extended-family systems, community ties and social connectedness remain strong despite changing global norms.
COMMUNITY
This category explores how people in Côte d’Ivoire live together beyond the nuclear family — their neighborhoods, friendships, communal networks, social expectations, village or urban community structures, and how these influence daily life, social support, identity, and belonging. It covers social norms, community rituals, mutual aid, socialization practices, and how daily life is shaped by community ties.
This Britannica entry on The Gambia presents a comprehensive overview of the country’s geography, history, people, and religious landscape.
This page on The Gambia offers an accessible overview of cultural life, including family dynamics, community norms, languages spoken, and religious practices. It explains how social ties, tradition, and faith shape identities and interactions in Gambian society.
This article for My Gambia explores how social age groupings—youth, adults, elders—shape roles, responsibilities, and interactions within Gambian communities. It discusses how continuity of respect, community service, and intergenerational ties play key roles in social structure.
This video offers a visual exploration of family life, community gatherings, and cultural traditions in The Gambia. It shows how social norms, collective living, and everyday interactions shape family and communal identity.
RELIGION
This category explores the beliefs, spiritual practices, and religious values that shape a client’s worldview. In many African communities, religion is deeply connected to daily life, moral expectations, community belonging, and decision-making. By understanding the client’s religious background—whether traditional beliefs, Christianity, Islam, or blended practices—counselors can better interpret their coping styles, sources of support, stress responses, and the meaning they attach to personal struggles.
This 2022 U.S. State Department International Religious Freedom report for The Gambia provides a detailed overview of religious demographics, legal protections, and societal attitudes toward different faiths.
This article examines how religious groups in The Gambia contribute to peace-building by fostering interfaith dialogue, community trust, and collaborative social efforts. It highlights the roles of both Islamic and Christian organizations in mediating conflict and strengthening social cohesion.
This video presents a visual timeline of how religious affiliation in The Gambia has changed over the years, highlighting the rise and consistency of Islam, as well as the trends among Christian and minority faith groups.
This page explains how Islam significantly shapes everyday life in The Gambia, not just as a faith but as a lifestyle. The article describes how religious beliefs are woven into social customs, family interactions, and community values, and highlights Gambians’ tolerance of different faiths alongside their strong Muslim majority.