From fear to courage: Gambian oyster harvesters learn to swim

Foni – Women in The Gambia have long navigated hazardous waters to collect oysters from mangroves without knowing how to swim. That reality is now changing thanks to a swimming programme run by the global aquatic value chain development programme FISH4ACP, which has reached one in four harvesters nationwide — and counting.

To get to the mangroves, women paddle in small wooden canoes through rivers and creeks, often over long distances in treacherous tides. The risk of capsizing, and the fear of drowning that comes with it, causes considerable stress and can deter women from entering or staying in the sector.

Women make up around 90 percent of The Gambia's oyster workforce, and for many, harvesting is a vital source of income for their families and communities. Their livelihoods, however, depend on their ability to safely traverse the waterways.

"If you don't know how to swim, you risk drowning, and that can be the end of your life," says oyster harvester Jarrah Sanyang.

In comes FISH4ACP, an initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) implemented by FAO with funding the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which aims make the oyster sector more productive and sustainable.

FISH4ACP launched a swimming programme in 2024 to empower harvesters with live-saving skills and confidence. Led by the Gambian Navy with support from the TRY Oyster Women’s Association and the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, the programme has so far reached 240 women from more than 20 communities through four six-week training sessions.

Women learned essentials such as floating, controlled breathing, swimming strokes, distress signalling, and first aid. The lessons also taught them how to effectively respond when incidents occur, improving their mental health and self-assurance.

“Oyster harvesting requires hard work and long hours in rivers and mangroves, often under difficult conditions,” said Moshibudi Rampedi, FAO Representative in The Gambia, praising the participants’ commitment at a recent ceremony celebrating the end of two training sessions for 120 women. “Learning to swim as an adult requires patience, focus, and trust,” she said.

"We are very happy about this swimming programme," said oyster harvester Isatou Kasseh Daffeh. "This initiative protects women and supports their growth and health. Women who enter the water are no longer risking their lives because we have learned how to swim."

Beyond physical danger, the inability to swim has symbolized deeper structural barriers faced by women in the sector, limiting their confidence, mobility, and sense of control over their own safety. By addressing this gap, the programme is not only reducing risk but actively strengthening women’s agency and autonomy within the oyster value chain.

For many participants, the programme has marked a turning point, helping them transform fear into courage. What began as a safety intervention has evolved into a tool for women’s empowerment, enabling them to engage in their livelihoods with renewed pride and determination.

As the programme expands to other Gambian villages this spring, and with a new FISH4ACP swimming programme soon kicking off in Senegal, more women will have the chance to learn skills that could one day save their lives, helping them return to work with greater confidence, safety, and peace of mind.