Inside Zakat Foundation of America's Rice Distribution Across The Gambia

In villages across The Gambia, the question families ask isn't what they'll eat tonight; it's whether they'll eat at all. That question is exactly what Zakat Foundation of America set out to answer, launching a nationwide distribution of 125,000 kilograms of rice to families who have been waiting and hoping for relief. 

It's the latest initiative in an official partnership with The Gambia that has grown deeper through the years, and it comes at a moment when the need has never been more urgent. 

According to the World Food Programme, food insecurity in The Gambia has more than tripled since 2016, and nearly half the population now lives below the poverty line. It's not hard to see why. The country's farmers work hard, but domestic agriculture covers less than half of what the nation needs to eat. The balance must be imported, which means Gambian families are at the mercy of global rice prices, a weakening currency, and a climate that's growing less predictable by the season. One bad harvest, one price spike, and a household's food supply for the entire year can unravel. 

This distribution grew out of Zakat Foundation of America’s long-running Rice Campaign, which has always treated rice as one of the simplest, most dignified ways to fight hunger. It's culturally familiar and stretches into dozens of meals for a family. 

What makes this rollout different is its scale. Rather than targeting a single region or timing the distribution around Ramadan, this is a nationwide effort due to how widespread the need has become. Beneficiaries were identified with help from local community organizations, hospitals, orphanages, schools, and religious institutions, and distribution sites were mapped out across the country before the delegation arrived. By the time the distribution team touched down, families already knew help was on the way. 

In April 2026, Zakat Foundation of America delivered a 40-foot container of medical supplies and equipment to Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, expanding the hospital's capacity to care for patients. Back in February 2024, Zakat Foundation of America joined forces with The Gambia Academy and experts from UNESCO to convene a summit on education reform.

Every kilogram in this distribution exists because someone, somewhere, chose to give. Your Zakat and Sadaqah can do the same for the next family waiting for help, in The Gambia and in vulnerable communities worldwide.