Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA) | 2025 |
Authors: Jorge A. Mendez, Corrinne White
Summary: This e-magazine summarizes the history and present of the Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA), a youth-focused, community-driven organization that has been shaping healthier and more equitable futures in The Gambia since 1985. Born from a cross-continental partnership between Canada and The Gambia, the NSGA was founded by Nova Scotian educator Burris Devanney with a simple yet powerful philosophy: “Learn and Teach Others.”
Over forty years later, that philosophy continues to thrive. Now fully Gambian-led and locally operated, the NSGA empowers young people to become catalysts for change through its flagship Peer Health Education (PHE) program. Across more than 150 schools nationwide, trained student educators and teachers collaborate to spread awareness on vital topics, from malaria prevention, reproductive health, and gender equality to mental wellbeing, cyberbullying, and environmental stewardship. Each lesson shared by a peer sparks another, creating a chain of learning that reaches classrooms, families, and entire communities.
Through stories, photos, and reflections, this e-magazine explores how NSGA’s holistic approach to health and education bridges generations and transforms lives. It showcases how education becomes empowerment, how youth leadership fuels social progress, and how one organization’s vision continues to build a healthier, more hopeful Gambia; one peer educator at a time.