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Background Madina Salaam is a young village, being founded in 1987. The last Census was done in 2006 and counted 1,021 inhabitants. 581 between the ages of 0 and 16. Due to high population migration from and to neighbouring countries, the census is done every two years and will be carried out again in 2008. Download the 2006 Census Analysis (excel doc/516kb) WYCE Child Census Summary 2004/06/08 (excel doc/36kb)
Religion Throughout The Gambia, religion plays a fundamental role in the life of the people and this is true in Madina Salaam. The dominant religion is Islam comprising 90% of The Gambian population (the remaining 10% are made up mostly of Christians and a small minority follow tribal religions). Madina Salaam has its own Mosque at the centre of the village.
Language The official language of The Gambia is English, however, it is usually only the natives found in the larger towns and tourist areas who are fluent. Most people will speak a tribal language such as Mandinka, Jola, Wollof or Fula. In Madina Salaam very few of the villagers speak much English and the native language is Mandinka.
Village Structure A Gambian village is a microcosm of rural life: a self-contained unit where people eat, sleep, care for families, farm, trade, worship, share information and make political decisions. Like all other Gambian villages, Madina Salaam has not one central focus, but several: the bantaba, a meeting place for the men of the village; the water supply, where women go to draw water but also to catch up on local gossip; and the mosque, the village's spiritual focal point. Each extended family lives in a compound, a collection of huts or a brick-built block enclosed by a fence or a wall. Compounds often contain fruit trees, and there may be larger orchards, plus fields and vegetable gardens, on the outskirts of the village. Gambian society is patrilineal and stratified, with clearly defined roles for members of each generation, and a structured system of meetings and consultations for dealing with problems and challenges. Traditionally, the village elders were the decision-makers, although central government, the police, the armed forces and the judiciary also have an official role to play which affects Gambians at village level. The chief of the village, or Alkalo, is usually the eldest descendant of the founder of the village, however, in the case of Madina Salaam, the younger brother of the Imam (whose father founded the village) was chosen. He has been appointed for life and anybody visiting the village will start by being introduced to him. Typically, the Alkalo is duty-bound to find accommodation for stranded travellers who request his help, he also takes care of disputes and is responsible for the distribution of land within the village. Equal in stature to the Alkalo is the Imam, the resident Muslim leader who leads prayers at the mosque and presides at religious rituals. The village Imam is also a Marabout, a charismatic Koranic teacher who can offer votive prayers and make jujus for people with specific requests. He sits on the village council of elders in an advisory capacity. Madina also has a Village Development Committee (VDC) which coordinates village development projects and mobilizes young people to act as a labour force. Since the creation on the project in Madina, WYCE has worked side by side with the VDC and every member is consulted to make decisions and reach plans of action. |
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