Education for All in Kaolack, Senegal

Here we are almost at the end of the year 2023-2024, a year which in Senegal aroused a lot of fear and uncertainty on a political and social level due to the president’s reluctance to hold timely elections. This raised concerns that events might even impact the various activities of the Diapalante Community Education Centre. Thank God there was more fear than harm. The elections went well and everything returned to normal.

Last August and September, at the start of our year, we organised our first “Digital holidays”, one in Kaolack and the other in the small town of Gandiaye, 26 km from Kaolack. More than 80 participants, aged between 16 and 53 years old, benefitted from 70 days of training in Word, Excel and Power Point. There are very few affordable opportunities for working people to learn these skills and our courses were quickly full to capacity. We will be repeating these very successful courses in the near future.

Our Young Leaders activities also went well and approximately 100 children were helped this year. The young leaders are teenage volunteers, who we have trained to lead the children in games and activities aimed at improving their French and so their ability to learn in school. When “Uncle Kaba”, who had co-ordinated the activities for some years, moved to other work there was a dip in attendance until the children grew familiar with the new co-ordinator. We received thanks and appreciation from the headmaster, teachers and parents of children attending the Senghane Badiane school in whose playground the after school activities are held.

At the Centre, around thirty young talibés have benefited from our Jangal Taalibé yi program. This program which coaches young people who have never attended school to be able to read, write, do small calculations and use a calculator. Diapalante also introduces them to computers where they play typing and maths games. We share with them the notions of living together in mutual respect and of caring for their environment.

The Diapalante Centre also has a pilot project making free reusable period packs. This project will help some of the many girls who currently miss school during their periods because they cannot afford to buy the commercial products. For the moment we are in the learning and evaluation phase.

The Diapalante Community Education Centre gives lessons in English, computer skills, maths, French, reading and other subjects on a daily basis. This reflects the increasing importance of basic (French) literacy, English language and computer skills in every walk of life. Every day around a hundred learners – street traders, students, and professionals - attend our various activities.

To celebrate World Women's Day a cultural evening of drama and poetry was organised by members of the centre with the theme of “women and responsibility within our society”.

During this year we also organised several events outside the Centre and we describe two of these below.

Given that many young Senegalese have lost their lives in illegal emigration, Diapalante held a film screening followed by a talk with the aim of raising awareness and discouraging young people from taking these often suicidal paths. More than 400 people took part in this activity which was held in the street to allow everyone to attend.

On World Environment Day, Diapalante planted 4 shade-giving plants and will continue the monitoring of these plants.

Finally, the end of school year exams and competitions are nearly upon us. Senegal’s schools are generally overstretched and under resourced, so youngsters can supplement their schooling by coming to the Centre in the evenings.  We hope their efforts will be well rewarded, as usual, with the high success rate their efforts deserve. 

As our year draws to a close we are planning to do it all again next year. We hope you will continue to support Diapalante so we can help as many next year to learn the skills and earn the qualifications that will help them to gain a better future for themselves and their familites.