Gambia Judiciary: Listen to the Cry of Divorced Women

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It was another day, a hectic but daily routine for me as a single mother. I wake up at 4 am, do laundry, iron my children's uniforms, prepare porridge for breakfast, and dash into the bathroom to take a quick shower. By 5 a.m., I rushed out of the house and asked my eldest daughter to lock the door. I hail a vehicle on the highway and head to Brikama to meet with the women gardeners who sell vegetables wholesale.

I reached Brikama after 6 a.m., bought my goods, and decided to roam the market and sell them so that by10 a.m., I would be able to go to the Brikama Magistrate Court to collect the Child Maintenance money for my kids and do some grocery shopping since we are out of foodstuff.  

Luckily, I was able to sell everything before 10 a.m. When I got to the accountant's office, I smiled and greeted him explaining the reason for the visit. 

I am sorry, but you can no longer receive the monthly child maintenance money in cash from us because we received a memo stating that all monies will be paid to your Bank accounts from now onwards. The accountant at the local Magistrate court, I visit every month to receive my children's child maintenance money told me with a deep sigh showing remorse written all over his face.

How? I asked with a shaky voice. He said you will need a Bank account, Biban number, TIN, ID or passport, and a copy of your judgment. Bring these documents to me and I will forward them to Banjul to process your payment every month into your account.

At that point, my world started spinning around me, and my legs went numb but I tried to keep my balance and forced a smile at the gentleman in front of me and said thank you.

I hurried outside of the premises of the magistrate court, gasping for air wondering when and where to get the next meal for my children and me.

My name is Jaha Manneh. I am from Lamin in the West Coast Region of the Gambia. My ex-husband and I were married for 7 years and we were blessed with 5 children, two boys and three girls. Within those 7 years, I was battered by my husband who was well-known in my neighborhood as a chronic womanizer. I got humiliated, beaten, starved, and neglected sexually by my husband. I endured it all because we have 5 children and I try to convince myself that as he gets older, he will be ashamed of his wayward lifestyle and change for the better. I cling to hope and prayers. I don't want my children to be referred to as, children from a broken home. I don't want them to be entangled in a divorce and custody battle. I have to live for them. I must hold it in for their sake.

But the last straw that broke the camel's back came when he started hitting my children and verbally abusing and cursing them. My blood boiled in a fit of rage and at that point, all I could think of was to see his head roll on the floor. How dare he lift his filthy adulterous hands on my babies. Then and there, I realized that I had to leave for the sake of my children because the environment had become toxic and their mental health was under attack. 

I filed for a divorce at the Brikama Cadi Court and secured my freedom and that of my kids. 

He was asked to pay the child maintenance support of D5000 and since then, I have been going to the magistrate court to receive the money without any hitches.

But why? Why will the office of the Judicial Secretary frustrate our lives further by asking us to provide documents we are probably hearing of for the first time and open Bank accounts just to get the meager child support money we are receiving as divorced and single mothers 

to complement the little we hustle daily to feed our kids? Why?

What is the rationale behind this decision and why are we, the stakeholders concerned not approached for a discussion before they finalized this decision? We want to know, we deserve an explanation from the judiciary of the Gambia. Are we suddenly invisible or unimportant to them? Are the courts no longer competent to carry out this task? Why do we need to receive child support money that is barely enough to last for two weeks talk less of a month through the Banks? 

Who do we direct our grievances to? 

Are they trying to unearth that which we buried deep in our hearts that landed us in this situation?

As a divorced and single mother, I was a housewife for 7 good years to a man who did not value me and treated me like trash. I have never been to school so when I found myself in this situation, I knew that I had to venture into something to survive and feed my kids. I am a petty trader who buys and sells vegetables at the Lamin market to pay for my single room and parlor, buy cash power, and pay school fees for my kids including other incidental costs such as medical bills. I shelter and clothe them with my meager earnings.

I live from hand to mouth, how do they expect me and my like to have a Bank account or produce all the documents they need so that I can access my children's child support on time? 

We were doing great going to the magistrate court in our various regions to collect the monthly child support with little or no transport fare. Sometimes, the men refuse to pay the exact amount but we still accept what is dished out to us for the children's sake. 

Why would the judiciary of the Gambia make matters complicated even more? 

We even learn that some women who have managed to get the documents and decided to taste the waters by submitting the documents requested have yet to receive the money in their account. How long will this process take time is one luxury a single mother can't afford. This is unacceptable and frustrating for us. 

We, therefore appealed to the Judicial Secretary to please listen to the plight of single mothers who are affected by this sudden change.