For over a decade, Starfish International has worked to uplift Gambian girls by providing quality education and leadership opportunities rooted in service, compassion, and excellence. Through a holistic curriculum that integrates academics, life skills, and character development, Starfish nurtures the next generation of women leaders who are shaping a brighter future for their communities.
During their visit, the One Planet Group team participated in classroom discussions, joined skill-building workshops, and accompanied students in community outreach activities. They also spent time with host families, gaining deeper insight into the everyday lives of the girls and their remarkable resilience and determination to learn and lead.
"Each visit reminds us that service is not just about giving — it's about growing,together" said Payam Zamani, Founder and CEO of One Planet Group. "The students at Starfish embody the values we hold dear: courage, curiosity, and compassion. Seeing their progress year after year inspires us to continue strengthening this partnership and to learn from their example of purpose-driven living."
"What makes our collaboration with One Planet Group so meaningful is the genuine connection that forms between our students and their volunteers," shared Mam-Yassin Sarr, Founder and Director of Starfish International. "These are not just visits — they are exchanges of love, learning, and shared humanity. When professionals from across the world come to serve alongside our students, they expand our girls' sense of what's possible for their own lives."
The group also visited The Land — Starfish's expanding education and training campus — where new facilities continue to take shape, including classrooms, a skill lab, and a community library. These spaces provide critical access to education and mentorship for youth in the surrounding region, advancing Starfish's mission to build a sustainable model of empowerment from within.
For One Planet Group, the experience was both humbling and galvanizing. The volunteers described their time in The Gambia as a week of connection, gratitude, and renewed purpose — a reminder that when service meets intention, everyone involved is transformed.
"This partnership represents what we stand for as a company," added Zamani. "We believe that business, when guided by love and responsibility, can be a force for good — and our work with Starfish International is a reflection of that belief in action."
About One Planet Group
One Planet Group is a closely held private equity firm that owns a suite of technology and media businesses while also investing in early-stage companies. Owned and operated businesses span a variety of industries including ad tech, publishing, and media. One Planet Group's mission is to support strong business ideas while building an ethos that helps improve society and give back to communities. The company's investment portfolio includes a diverse group of innovative tech-enabled products and solutions. Investing primarily in high-growth early-stage entities, emphasizing companies that aspire to 'Innovation + Intention.' One Planet Group was founded by tech entrepreneur Payam Zamani in 2015. With offices and employees in over ten countries, its global headquarters is in Walnut Creek, California. For more information, visit oneplanetgroup.com.
About Starfish International
Starfish International is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a well-rounded and quality education for Gambian girls and boys. Working annually with 100 girls and 35 boys, Starfish International has been in service for 12 years, uplifting, educating, accompanying, and providing a safe haven for their students' growth, well-being, and development. Starfish's mission is to uplift Gambian girls by providing them with a world-class education that is focused on service to humanity while at the same time providing international service-learning opportunities for volunteers. The values and the five qualities highlighted at Starfish International are nobility, independence, courtesy, knowledge, and service. As an organization, its major achievement is to have graduated and impacted over 900 students who are now doctors, teachers, lawyers, nurses, and many other professionals in their respective fields. Their three significant areas of impact are education, health, and agriculture, with a focus on mentorship, entrepreneurship, character development, scholarship opportunities, leadership training, career counseling, public speaking, and community service. For more information, visit starfishinternational.org.
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SOURCE One Planet Group Inc.
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