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Here are updates of our most recent trip to Senegal (November 2009). I also posted a slideshow on my Mobile Me Gallery. “November for Girls 2009 “ is four and a half minutes long and you can view it by clicking: http://gallery.me.com/wallacesarah#100028
Brief Updates: Swimmin for Women was a chance to raise funds from friends, acquaintances and others who choose to support our work . On November 1, 2009 I swam 5km. from Dakar to Gorèe Island. A young woman, Fiore, from my swim team joined us on this trip and swam with me. Women for Girls raised over 3,000 Euro that will be used directly for our program activity. Next year, I hope that through Swimmin for Women, I can raise more funds, involve other organizations and support more women throughout the world. An important goal for my future fundraising endeavors is to let people know that even small contributions can have tremendous impacts in countries like Senegal. A recent article in the Huffington Post is proof of that fact. Dakar Education Women for Girls started by chance with one girl, just over 3 years ago. We now have 40 children, mostly girls but also their school-age male siblings, whom we are responsible for. Sometimes all it takes is help with school fees, books and supplies to send them to school. Adama, our first girl, is in her second year of a three-year home economics program in Dakar. The success of her first year helped her self confidence grow. In the slide show some of the work she brought home to her village, Mbousnakh, can be seen. Ndeye was homeless with her mother in Dakar until Februray 2009. The room our coordinator found for them was far away and even though the move meant changing schools and friends mid year, Ndeye was promoted with success. She is now in her last and most difficult year of basic school. Two families in Italy are paying their rent and her mother sells seasonal vegetables on a small stand outside her house. Going from a homeless mother to a sales woman has given her confidence and within a year she might be able to begin to pay some of the rent. Mame, who was in her last year and is just as smart as can be, didn’t pass her exam to proceed to the next level of education. She is repeating the year and will have one more chance. Usually her days are routine; she wakes up before 5am, and leads her blind grandmother to the bus for the two hour ride to the center. Once in the center, Mame leaves her grandmother in her habitual begging spot in front of a store, crosses the street and goes to school. When school lets out for the day, she picks up her grandmother and they make the journey home. Fridays are different, they are more profitable and for a begging blind woman, whose family depends on her income, they can’t be missed. Mame leads her grandmother with her cupped hand in and out of traffic to make the most these Fridays. As long as Mame does this, she can’t go to school. This is one result of poverty and since girls’ education is one of the most powerful tools in fighting it, we won’t give up. Economic Opportunity Our mill initiative is well underway and operating according to the original plan designed by the village with Tostan. Now, Mbousnakh even has a savings from it. This village is devastated by rural exodus and people see this mill project and the three-year Tostan Community Empowerment training as the foundation for future activities. The micro credit project in Ndiatah, Kourka’s village, has the potential to bring income to the village. The objective is to buy sheep in the early spring and then sell them at a profit in December for the Tabaski, a holiday that commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. One condition for this project is that every school-age child must attend school. This past December, the money made from selling the sheep has almost covered our initial investement. We learned on our visit that school attendance is up and several classes have new students. This is a positive trend and we hope it continues. Should you have any questions, please write to me. |
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