By Ramatoulie Jawo
As The Gambia joins the rest of the world in observing World Autism Awareness Month, Kerr Fatou speaks with young advocates who are dedicated to raising awareness and supporting individuals with autism. Their commitment underscores the growing efforts to foster an inclusive society for people on the autism spectrum.
Autism remains widely misunderstood, often surrounded by stigma and misconceptions. However, in The Gambia, young people are stepping up to challenge these narratives by educating communities, supporting families, and advocating for better resources and policies. Their initiative aims to promote acceptance, understanding, and opportunities for individuals with autism across the country.
World Autism Awareness Day, observed annually on April 2nd, is dedicated to increasing awareness about autism spectrum disorder while promoting inclusion and support for those affected.
Abdou Majid Jallow, the founder of the Gambia Autism Support and Advocacy Network (GASAN), highlights the challenges and misconceptions surrounding autism in The Gambia.
“People In this country believe that autism is a disease or a condition. No, autism is a developmental condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate, interact socially and engage in certain behaviors,” he said.
He highlighted that many remarkable individuals around the world are autistic, yet their contributions often go unrecognized because they excel in their own unique ways.
He shared that his passion for autism advocacy began during his studies abroad, where he witnessed the extensive awareness and support available for individuals with autism. Inspired by this experience, he felt compelled to bring similar initiatives to The Gambia, ensuring that autistic individuals are seen, valued, and included in society.
He stressed that people with autism frequently face rejection and societal exclusion. He underscored the urgent need for greater awareness and understanding, emphasizing the importance of providing adequate support to help autistic individuals reach their full potential.
“The level of awareness raised in this country is very limited by the family members, health workers and even the government, so that inclusion is not there. And these people are not be accepted because in the Gambia the misconception towards autism is that the mother of the children was not covering up her body during pregnancy and so many other things, and that is the narrative we want to change and see how best we can raise awareness not only within the Greater Banjul area but across the Gambia,” he stated.
He stated that the organization is committed to gathering accurate data on the number of individuals with autism, emphasizing that without reliable statistics, it would be challenging to provide effective support.
He clarified that while their organization does not provide medical treatment or diagnoses, it serves as an advocate and a bridge between autistic individuals and healthcare facilities.
Maimuna P. Mendy, the communications officer of the organization, outlined some of their key plans, including the establishment of a center to accommodate and support individuals with autism.
She emphasized that their organization is dedicated to advocating for policies that improve access to healthcare and specialized services for autistic individuals.
Mendy also called on the public to offer their support, stating that collective efforts can help change perceptions and create an inclusive society where autistic individuals can reach their full potential.
“We want to call for the government officials to join us in celebrating this day and we cannot do this alone because we are still young and we are just starting.So the government creating policies that is going to protect this young people who are autistic for them to have their rights just as you and I . And also contribute on how they can support them by creating skills centers for the people with autism so that they can build their own skills to help their self and their families as well,”she said.
The Gambia Autism Support and Advocacy Network (GASAN) is set to host its first Autism Awareness Day on April 12th to celebrate and support individuals with autism.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1 in 100 children worldwide has autism. However, this figure represents an average, and prevalence rates vary significantly across studies.
WHO also notes that some well-controlled studies have reported higher prevalence rates, while the exact number of autistic individuals in many low- and middle-income countries remains unknown.