Its heart beats pure passion.
DONATE
African Village Dream was built on exactly that - a dream.
A dream for the remote Gambian village of Kerr Layen: to educate its children, grow its own food, and thrive independently. With 40 hectares of land dedicated to rice cultivation, alongside additional land producing couscous, groundnuts, maize, and cashew nuts, the village is making steady progress towards self-sustainability.
Hand-dug and improved wells, together with water towers and pipework, have brought running water to the village for the very first time.
Goats help fund teachers’ wages, creating a sustainable way to support education within the community. We are also helping to establish new small businesses within the village, including a tailor, a baker, and market gardeners, with many more ideas planned for the future.
By supporting local enterprise, we are creating opportunities, encouraging independence, and building long-term income from within the village itself.
Our nursery school currently has 168 children enrolled, providing two meals a day and operating across four classrooms, with a further two classrooms due for completion by September 2026.
In the same month, we will proudly open the very first classroom of our brand-new primary school.
Wherever possible, we also provide support for emergency transport and medication for those needing urgent care at the nearest hospital.
In July 2025, African Village Dream was officially granted charity status, marking a major milestone in our journey. Together, we are turning a dream into reality.
Thank you for being part of our journey.
Where is kerr layen
The Gambia is a small country located in West Africa, surrounded by Senegal with a small narrow Atlantic coastline.
The River Gambia flows through the entire length of the country with the capital Banjul located where the mouth of the river reaches the Atlantic ocean.
Kerr Layen is a small rural village located in the Central River Region approximately 5 hours away from Banjul.
It is predominantly an agricultural community shaped by the seasons, family and local traditions.
We'd love to hear from you
You can also book a presentation with us. We are truly excited about visiting Schools, Clubs, and sharing the story of the African Village Dream. People are eager to hear from our Founder Lee and discover ways to support this inspiring cause.
Head to our Volunteer ot Contact Us page
Business Community Support
