Atlantic Slave Memorial Initiative

Dear Donor,

We are closing the campaing for the Atlantic Slave Memorial to start with the implementation. Even if the funding goal was not reached, the joint efforts from GCM and Green Up Gambia will allow for the first efforts of the project to take place.

Context and Strategic Approach

The Atlantic Slave Memorial Initiative is a deeply symbolic and transformative effort that seeks
to honor the memory of millions of Africans who suffered through the transatlantic slave trade,
while simultaneously restoring degraded ecosystems and strengthening climate resilience in
vulnerable coastal and inland communities of The Gambia. By linking remembrance with
restoration, the initiative creates a living memorial, one that not only reflects on the past but
actively invests in a more sustainable and dignified future.
The Gambia faces pressing environmental challenges such as deforestation, coastal erosion,
land degradation, and climate change. The ASM thus serve as a symbol of healing, resilience, and
continuity—bridging generations and reinforcing the connection between people, history, and the
environment.
The support mobilized by Global Changemakers is highly significant for us. While the amount
raised may appear modest relative to the scale of the initiative, its value lies in its catalytic
potential. It serves as a seed fund that will enable us to initiate a community-driven model of
restoration that can be replicated and scaled over time. The funds also represent global show of
solidarity and belief in a locally led vision for environmental justice and climate action.
Green-Up Gambia intends to utilize these funds by establishing community-based tree nursery.
The nursery will serve as a local hub for raising seedlings, equipping community members
particularly youth and women with the skills, knowledge, and responsibility to nurture trees on
their own from site preparation to maturity.
This approach ensures that communities are not just beneficiaries but active custodians of the
initiative. By managing the nursery, they develop a sense of ownership and accountability, which
significantly increases the survival rate of trees once transplanted. Additionally, the nursery will
provide opportunities for environmental education, local capacity building, and potentially even
livelihood support through future seedling production.

This financial support mobilized through Global Change Makers truly represents more than a
financial contribution. It is a meaningful investment in a community-driven vision that links
remembrance with restoration. By channeling these funds into the establishment of a community
tree nursery, this initiative lays a strong and sustainable foundation for long-term environmental
impact, rooted in local ownership and responsibility.