My name is Modou Mboob, a 30 year old proud Gambian temporality based in Sweden. I am an ambitious and visionary youth who has a clear sense of purpose and direction to accomplish my life goals. My only interest in this world is to ensure that Peace and Justice are promoted and giving back to the society that made me who I am. I am of the believe that a nation’s development is determined by how educated its citizens are. With this, prompts the inspiration of the following:

Coming from a financially constrained background, I got enrolled at the University of The Gambia back in 2013. As ambitious and determined as I was, my university education got hindered negatively leading to my deferment of 3 consecutive academic semesters. However, my family and friends have always been supportive throughout this struggle, in which one of my closest friends would always encourage me by the phrase- “with determination, failure is impossible”. As a strong believer in Allah, I knew very well something positive will eventually come out of it, as Allah is always with the patient. I never stopped attending lectures even though I was fully aware that without paying the tuition fees I won’t be allowed to sit for the exams. At the time, I was with the hope that the university management might have come up with a policy that would allow financially constrained students attain university education because I’m of the notion that where there’s a will, there’s always a way. At the tail end of my third semester, a miracle happened- I applied for a competition government scholarship at the Ministry of Higher Education and got selected as part of the students to be sponsored for universities education, for this I am grateful. On the other hand, I ventured into joint-entrepreneurship with my ever supportive mother where I had to sell bread and beans for the 5 years period to finance my miscellaneous university expenses.

Delving from the above, I am not oblivious of the fact that there’re many more students currently going through exactly the same struggles I’ve gone through, or even worst. However, as a go-getter and an optimist, I’ve always asked myself what could I do to make the life of the future generation better than mine? We all owe this question to our children and great grandchildren. I believe that I don’t have to be rich to do something positive in society. For this reason, I’ve conceptualize the formation of an NGO in the name of Free Education Drive, The Gambia (FED, The Gambia), with the aim to leverage on my innovative skills, networks and connections to support students from low income backgrounds. Where Sweden with over 10 million population could provide free education to all its citizens, The Gambia with a population little less than 3 million can even do more, with the right strategies and approaches in place.

This NGO is launched today 4th November, 2023 as it marks the day I welcomed my first born, Alhamdulilah. Today is one of the most special days in my life journey. This NGO will bear my face, which will epitomize a symbol of hope and resilience to anyone who dares to dream and be successful! This NGO will strive to ensure that it’s embarked on a fundraising project (locally & internationally) with the sole aim to sponsor needy students, In Shaa Allah. This NGO will see to it that every student in The Gambia is educated whether you’re from a rich or humble background, In Shaa Allah. This NGO will develop an online portal where donors will be granted access, in a bid to promote financial data transparency and to ensure that every single penny is accounted for, In Shaa Allah. This NGO will be more than willing to work with all stakeholders (locally & globally), especially The Gambia Government towards its drive to attaining free education for all Gambians, In Shaa Allah. This NGO will be apolitical and it’ll be impartial in the disbursement of funds, In Shaa Allah. So help me God!

In light of the above, I hereby invite everyone who has an interest to work with the NGO, either as a donor, volunteer, partner etc to reach out to me at your convenience. I’m also open to new ideas to make this work even better. Together we can make a difference!!!