LocationsBy Martin Namasaka
Inspired by Saffie: Marie Chorr’s Journey Towards a Greener Future
October 8, 2026
Marie at the UNDP office in The Gambia
The smell of charcoal smoke still lingers in Soufour Herram’s memory, not from a cooking fire today, but as a reminder of where her story began. Marie Chorr may be the name she uses at school and professionally, but within her Serere community, she is Soufour Herram, a traditional name carrying her own identity and her paternal grandmother’s name. Long before becoming a Climate and Environmental Expert working on climate change, biodiversity and environmental resilience, Marie watched her mother, Saffie, work as a street-food vendor, waking before sunrise to prepare and sell meals that helped pay school fees and sustain the family.
That experience shaped how she sees development today. As Programme Analyst at UNDP The Gambia, she works with communities on climate resilience, natural resource management, clean energy, waste management and sustainable livelihoods. For Marie, development is ultimately about people, the juice seller, the oyster harvester in the mangroves, the anxious farmer and the young person seeking opportunity. In each, she sees something of her mother, and that is where her work truly begins.
Saffie, Marie’s mother.
You’ve spoken about your mother and the life she built through her work. How has her story shaped the work you do today?
My mother is my greatest inspiration. As a street-food vendor outside the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) office in Bakau, she worked tirelessly to provide for her children. Her example taught me that every small business reflects someone’s hopes, responsibilities, and determination to build a better life. It shaped my understanding of development by teaching me to look beyond economic circumstances and recognise each person’s dignity, effort, and aspirations. Overcoming a difficult childhood and pursuing higher education—including a master’s degree through a World Bank scholarship—further strengthened my belief in what people can achieve when given the opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Today, when I meet women working to support their families while navigating the challenges of climate change, I see the same determination my mother showed. I see it in coastal oyster harvesters, rice farmers adapting to changing weather patterns, women selling fruit and juice on the beach amidst sea level rise and coastal erosions, and families who depend on natural resources for their livelihoods.
During a visit to the Tanbi Wetland area, I met Kumba Jassey, an oyster harvester who spoke passionately about how her work feeds her family and pays her children’s school fees. Her story brought back memories of my childhood and my mother’s strength. Encounters like this remind me why the work and aspirations of women across The Gambia matter and why creating opportunities for them matters even more.
Oyster Collectors at Tanbi Wetland Complex
That is why environmental protection must therefore advance alongside economic opportunity. Protecting forests, restoring mangroves, and expanding access to clean energy safeguard both the environment and livelihoods, strengthen resilience to climate shocks, and help people build secure futures. I want to help create a Gambia where women and young people can pursue their ambitions, communities can prosper, and the environment is preserved for generations to come.
Your work covers climate resilience, clean energy, natural resources, waste management and livelihoods. What are the issues that stay on your mind when you think about the communities you work with?
What concerns me most is seeing how closely people’s lives are tied to the environment, especially when they have few resources to adapt. For a woman who depends on oyster harvesting, the health of the mangroves can determine whether she earns an income. For a rice farmer, changes in rainfall, flooding or drought can affect an entire season and the wellbeing of the family. These are not abstract environmental concerns; they directly shape what families eat, how they cover school fees, and whether they can plan for the future.
I also think a lot about young people, particularly in rural communities, and how we can turn environmental challenges into opportunities for skills, livelihoods and decent work. Poorly managed waste and hazardous chemicals also threaten people and the environment. Yet I am encouraged when communities lead the response. When people help define problems and shape solutions, they develop genuine ownership which is the foundation of lasting change. Our role is to create the conditions for these local efforts to grow and endure.
With the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Secretariat and Climate Change Secretariat
Why does this work matter so much for The Gambia, particularly for women and communities whose livelihoods depend directly on natural resources?
For me, The Gambia’s environment is inseparable from its economy and people’s everyday lives. Our forests, mangroves, coastline and farmland support livelihoods and food systems, so when they are damaged, the impact is felt directly by communities. Climate change makes this even more urgent, with coastal erosion, flooding, rising sea levels and drought already putting pressure on people and livelihoods.
That is why protecting our ecosystems must go hand in hand with practical alternatives. Restoring mangroves, expanding reliable clean energy, promoting cleaner cooking, and strengthening waste management can improve lives. Ultimately, environmental sustainability is about people protecting livelihoods, creating opportunities, and building communities that are more resilient to future challenges.
Roots of Resilience: Thriving mangrove wetlands protect shorelines, support local livelihoods, and build climate resilience across The Gambia
Looking at the Integrated Environmental Management and Climate Resilience Programme so far, what achievements make you feel that real change is happening?
The Integrated Environmental Management and Climate Resilience Programme (IEMCRP), implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources and other government institutions, brings together four interconnected areas: protecting natural resources and biodiversity, strengthening climate resilience, improving chemicals and waste management, and expanding access to clean energy. A major milestone is the handover of the Sare Demba Toro Solar Mini-Grid to the Government of The Gambia. It has enabled more than 75 new income-generating activities in beneficiary communities, including milling, bakeries, welding, ice production, retail, and internet cafés. Reliable electricity now helps businesses operate, supports households, essential services, food preservation, and young people developing technical skills or digital services.
Beyond energy, the programme strengthens community preparedness for climate risks by supporting the implementation of community disaster risk reduction plans and improving access to information, preparedness, and capacity-building to protect lives and livelihoods. Progress is also evident in community-led restoration efforts, such as lowlands and uplands in Kantong Kunda and Bantanjang that also strengthen local stewardship of natural resources. Additionally, the initiative has supported 30 new community-based natural resource enterprises, creating vital income opportunities through sustainable management.
Clean cooking is another critical pillar. The programme supports improved cooking technologies and has trained more than 40 artisans, including 30 women, to reduce fuel use and smoke exposure while building enterprise skills.
Together, these achievements demonstrate that environmental action and economic opportunity can advance in tandem. The next step is to sustain these gains, deepen community ownership, and mobilize resources to expand their reach.
Looking ahead, what will it take for The Gambia to make lasting progress on environmental sustainability, climate resilience and the Sustainable Development Goals?
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in The Gambia requires sustained political commitment, adequate financing and collective action. Government, development partners, the private sector, civil society and communities all have a critical role to play. Because environmental and climate challenges are interconnected, our solutions must be equally integrated, inclusive and coordinated.
A key priority will be translating The Gambia's climate commitments into tangible action. This includes implementing the country's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0 - 2026-2035), advancing the Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LTS -2023-2050), and fulfilling our commitments under the Paris Agreement(2015) Together, these frameworks provide a clear roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening climate resilience, protecting ecosystems, and promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
We must scale up investment in renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land and water management, resilient infrastructure, and nature-based solutions such as mangrove restoration and forest conservation. Achieving these goals will require increased access to climate finance, technology and innovation, alongside stronger institutional capacity at national and local levels.
We must also invest in people, especially women and young people, by equipping them with the skills, knowledge and opportunities to lead the transition to a green, blue and climate-resilient economy. These sectors can create decent jobs, support sustainable enterprises, strengthen food security and improve livelihoods while protecting the environment.
Ultimately, development is about people. When we invest in communities, uphold our climate commitments, and build strong partnerships, we can protect ecosystems, strengthen livelihoods, reduce vulnerability to climate change, and create a more sustainable, resilient and prosperous future for generations to come.
As our conversation ends and Marie turns back to the glow of her dual monitors, the hum of the office fades, leaving only the quiet determination that has guided her this far. In that steady focus, the smoky mornings of her childhood and the sprawling resilience projects of The Gambia seamlessly meet, a living testament that where we begin never dictates how far we can go, and that true stewardship is a promise kept to the future generations yet to come.
Marie Chorr engaging with community members on environmental sustainability and local action
