In this episode of M&M BeyondWords, we sit down with Kaddijatou Keita, a sickle cell warrior, advocate, and former Vice President of the Gambia Sickle Cell Association.

Kaddijatou opens up about her personaljourney living with sickle cell disease, the realities of managing pain andhealth challenges, the emotional side of the condition, and the experiencesthat have shaped her into the woman she is today.

We also talk about sickle cell awareness inThe Gambia, common misconceptions surrounding the condition, the importance ofgenotype awareness and testing, supporting people living with sickle cell, andwhat families, communities, healthcare providers, and young people can do tocreate greater understanding.

This isn’t just a conversation about sicklecell. It’s a conversation about resilience, awareness, hope, and living beyonda diagnosis.

If this conversation educates or touchesyou, like, comment, share, and subscribe. Someone in your circle may need tohear this.

When a Gambian leaves for the diaspora, does that automatically mean they’ve “made it”?

In this episode of M&M Beyond Words, we unpack the growing expectations placed on Gambians living abroad and even those who are doing well right here at home. From constant requests for money to the belief that having a good job means you should provide a “soft life” for everyone around you, we ask an uncomfortable question:

When does family support become entitlement?

We talk about love, family responsibility, financial pressure, boundaries, the realities of life in the diaspora, and whether social media has created unrealistic expectations about what life abroad is really like.

Because helping your family is beautiful. But nobody should be made to feel guilty for setting boundaries.

Is it our culture of togetherness, or have we taken it too far?

The 2026 WASSCE results have raised serious concerns, with 7,085 candidates reportedly failing to obtain even a single credit in any subject among the 19,605 candidates with complete results. With 994 results still being processed, the final figures could change.

But behind these numbers are thousands of young Gambians, families, teachers and communities.

So, what is really happening to education in The Gambia?

Are we putting enough responsibility on students? Are parents doing enough? Do teachers have the resources they need? Is the education system adequately preparing our young people? And what responsibility does society and government have?

In this episode of M&M Beyond Words, we go beyond the statistics and have an honest conversation about education, accountability, failure, opportunity and the future of Gambian youth.

This isn’t about blaming. It’s about understanding and finding solutions.