Different Types of Homes in The Gambia

Around the coast and the capital there are houses which have access to electricity and telephones.
Some buildings are modern.

There may be two or three generations of a family living behind these gates. The family is very important to everyone. The home is called a compound.

As you travel further from the coast you see villages with mud brick houses and thatched roofs. Can you see the bricks drying?
There is no electricity.

Electricity has now come to Janjanbureh but few families can afford to install it. This house is made of concrete blocks and has a corrugated tin roof.

Look carefully at the uncovered roof. Can you see what supports the covering? These mud homes can last for many years but may need repairing.

This is from inside looking up. They are beautifully constructed. The thick roofing helps to keep the home cool.