Ida Cham-Njie, sustainable tourism advocate and founder of Yabouy Home Cooking, has been named the 2026 Arts and Culture Award recipient at a gala dinner on Saturday, 9 May 2026.
Organizers say the award recognizes Cham-Njie’s contribution to promoting Gambian culture, heritage, and sustainable tourism through her work in food and hospitality.
Cham-Njie founded Yabouy Home Cooking to showcase traditional Gambian cuisine and create opportunities for local women in the tourism value chain. Her advocacy has focused on linking tourism growth with cultural preservation and community benefit.
The Arts and Culture Gala Dinner is supported by several partners, including GANYEH, Zakat Foundation of America, Sunu-Reew Medical Mission, the Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia (ITTOG), and the African Film Festival. The event brought together leaders from the arts, tourism, and development sectors to celebrate contributions to The Gambia’s cultural landscape.
