● Programs and Services

 Pilot Classroom - Opened in September 2021, the Pilot Classroom started with 2 students. Using borrowed classroom space  at Starfish International in Lamin Village, The Gambia, our dedicated teachers use individualized educational plans to develop an educational model that is customized to meet each student’s personal needs. The plans are tailored to fit each student’s developmental level with a deliberate focus on the socio-cultural settings in The Gambia. Lessons learned from the pilot will be used to eventually establish a dedicated school and can be replicated for expansion across the country. 

Lack of information is one of the major challenges plaguing our society. AutismGambia will work to raise awareness within our communities to help eradicate the stigma, myths and misinformation that usually causes families to live in denial, hide or ostracize their children with special needs. This will not only help increase acceptance, it will help families seek timely support like early detection, It will also help the general society know how to be allies to make a better life for our loved ones. We utilize radio, television, social media and physical visits to local communities and institutions to share valuable information. 

 We will encourage and support families to be advocates for their loved ones. Additionally, we will be advocates where possible by providing information, referrals and speaking on behalf of individuals who cannot speak for themselves be it in the homes, schools and with other authorities. 

 The Support Group provides an avenue for parents, guardians and caregivers of members with special needs, especially children, to interact, support each other and share information. This can be information about therapies or new programs, stories and experiences of living with autism, and advice on how to deal with different professionals and available resources in our different geographic locations. Through the support group, members can also provide comfort and emotional support for one another in an environment of peers who truly understand each other’s challenges and can be a shoulder to lean on.  

 in the long term, AutismGambia aims to build and operate a state of the earth facility for children with special needs. It would be the first of its kind in The Gambia and it will be equipped with all the resources and amenities to help support and prepare them to live a full life. 

 The first and only one of its kind in The Gambia, the resource center  provides a physical location where the community, especially families and caregivers, can go to for information about Autism Spectrum Disorder. The center will have trained individuals who will receive and assist visitors with information and support on ASD and other developmental disabilities. It will be a warm and welcoming place where everyone will feel loved, heard and cared for.