Local guides program means a lot to me as an individual. When I was introduced to the program some few years ago, I promised myself that my country The Gambia which is one of the smallest country in mainland Africa lacks active Local Google Guides that will bring local realities or experiences to potential visitors to different places within destination Gambia. Most if not all Local Google Guides are Western tourists that narrate issues base on their own realities or perspectives of their holiday expectations or experiences in The Gambia. I said to me myself it is time for young people like me to take control in Google Maps by giving local information with a global reach so as to well informed visitors or potential travellers by hearing from someone that has lived the experience they will be experiencing during their course of stay.
The program therefore gave me the opportunity not only to provide local information that would be beneficial to travellers or tourists but it gave me the chance to be the mouthpiece of local communities within The Gambia by representing what is on the ground as what to expect and serve as a bridge between them and visitors
by giving them the correct information about the traditions, customs, and cultures of different host destinations; that is not bias in any way possible. Finally, program has helped me to be able to contribute meaningfully to the development and advancement of tourism-dependent Gambia.