Impacts of Flooding and Coping Mechanisms on School Children residing in Ebo Town, Kanifing Municipality, The Gambia

Abstract

The study examines the impact of urban flooding on school children and their coping mechanisms in the Community of Ebo town in the district of Kanifing of the Gambia. In this study the qualitative approaches is found to be the most effective method in order to explore and descript an objective meaningful results. The study collected its data in documents ranging from storyboard of student living in the flooded area, to interviews techniques with school children and community members, using random sampling methods in order to select the primary data. The study shows that flooding has a harmful impact on the education of children, especially in Ebo town, because the environment is surrounded by poorly urban infrastructure and during the rainy season the area is uninhabitable for its population. Throughout the seasons, especially during the raining seasons, Ebo Town is inundated with garbage because it is located next to the dumping grounds in this swampy area. Apart from being a swamp, it is also sloppy because the water from the municipality passes through to drain to the river. The municipality through its weekly campaigns, put in place many measures to dispose of waste in the best way; however, there is a need for attitudinal change for the population towards the way in which they dispose their waste in the run offs on the side of the roads. In addition, the drainage systems are always full of different kinds of waste which contributes to the pollution in the area. These findings show how living around the Ebo Town area is negatively having an impact on children′ education manifested in their attendance and performance. Furthermore, due to the smoke from burning rubbish, this is causing physiological and psychological health effects on them. These effects seem to show symptoms of diseases including skin irritation and restlessness. Flooding also creates gender bias because the parents would allow male children to go to school during floods while female children stay at home for the house chores.