🔗 This page supports a lesson in the ebook INNOVATE NOW: Mastering AI for Creative Problem Solving.
Please refer to your copy of the book for full context.
THIS IS A JOB FOR INVENTION SCHOOL
Illiteracy is high in The Gambia so a unique voting system involving marbles is used.
On arrival at a polling station, and after their ID has been verified, a voter will be directed to a series of drums painted in the party colours of the different candidates. Voters then slot their marbles into the drum of their choice.
The incumbent, Adama Barrow, has won Gambia’s first presidential election since ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh fled into exile. Instead of ballot papers, Gambian voters slotted glass marbles into metallic drums painted in the candidate’s party colours, and fitted with bells to trigger a sound to help polling officials hear if anyone tried to vote more than once. The system is simple, affordable and locally developed – allowing illiterate people to vote easily whilst rendering rigging difficult. However, the system doesn’t allow voters to express a blank vote in secret – the absence of ringing indicates that a vote wasn’t cast. Can Invention School apprentices offer an innovative solution to increase voter participation and address electoral fraud across the Continent?
The Gambia is one of Africa’s smallest countries and the 2.4m nation is among the poorest in the world. Its economy depends heavily on tourism but it has been hit by coronavirus.
💡 Tip: You can watch the video, or—if you are on the move or have limited data—listen to the audio version instead. When ready, open the embedded document for deeper understanding.
🔙 Return to your ebook to continue your learning journey.
📚 This page is part of the Tharaka Invention Academy Learning Library.
Content provided for independent study by learners pursuing innovation, invention, and creative problem-solving mindsets, skills, and knowledge.
©2025 Tharaka Invention Academy. All rights reserved.