SenegalStyle Bed & Breakfast: For a clean comfortable room at a reasonable rate (including breakfast & DINNER!) look at SenegalStyle Bed & Breakfast (pictures and weblink above), 15,000cfa pp a day (about $30), monthly rate, 450,000cfa (about $900 with breakfast & dinner, about $600 without meals) .
Travel Agencies - email me and I can refer you to the most professional agencies with english speaking staff & the lowest prices! NOTE: Airport pickups can be arranged for an additional fee.
Dakar Women's Group: DWG.org For FUNDING your CHARITABLE PROJECT or SCHOOL SUPPLIES, LOCALLY! (2009-2010 funding cycle)
Canadian Embassy 1.5 million cfa available for your project! Email me at SenegalStyle@gmail.com for more information!
Greetings from Dakar, Senegal!
My name is Sineta George and I am an American woman business owner. As you can see from this ridiculously large website, I am an African clothing and drum designer and have manufactured or sold a large line of West African products over the past 10 years I have lived here in Senegal. I have been living and working among the 'regular people' both here in Dakar and in the southern region of Senegal, in villages in Casamance. My 3 children have all gone to Senegalese schools, are TRI-lingual (wolof, french, english), gotten an EXCELLENT education and 2 of the 3 have excelled and graduated. The youngest is 15 and is also doing well in school.
Of course, as an outsider (now on the inside), I have insights into my adopted hometown that perhaps others have not seen or do not understand and this is why I have gotten more and more involved in charitable organizations. What I would like to do is bring a balance to the volunteerism and charitable giving that goes on in my community. Many people write me asking about volunteering in Senegal and I would like to funnel that interest into something constructive and more importantly RELEVANT to the people we would all like to help.
For example, I have been instrumental in changing the way xmas food drives are done here by two American based organizations, one a school, another Dakar Women's Group. Previously they donated canned good to distribute to various organizations and individuals in need. To me, this was terribly wrong. Senegalese people don't eat canned lima beans or beets! haha! That's the kind of stuff we tend to get rid of for 'charity' - food we don't want anyway...They need to have staple foods that are relevant to them, rice, coucous, salt, sugar, flour, dried milk, coffee & tea, the same things you would like to have if you were in need.
It's a small thing that should be obvious, well intentioned, but misplaced. They have changed and that is better for everyone.
In addition, I have been involved with many charitable organizations over the years and some of them are doing very good work, but instead of pouring millions of dollars into the 'organizing' part, I think what's also needed is 'unorganized' volunteerism. It costs so much less to implement and it's easier to manage and control corruption - which is a problem with ALL CHARITIES both here and in the west, as we all know (remember Save the Children?)
There are many projects that can be started by YOU - we don't always need to hire a staff, bring in an expat specialist and their family, rent a mansion and supply housekeepers, drivers, cooks and maids, and basically waste a lot of money on bureaucracy to organize something to 'help the poor people!'
We can do simple things like establish an English club or tutoring students in math sitting for their 6eme, (6th grade), BFEM (10th grade) or BACCULARIATE (13th grade finals or terminus tests) for the summer. Yes, there are 13 grades here, school ends at 5:30 or 6pm in the evening and most schools have classes on Saturdays. These 3 examinations are very difficult mandatory tests that everyone must pass before continuing onto the next level. As the local universities (University of Dakar and Cheik Anta Diop) are basically FREE... actually the Senegalese government PAYS the best students to go there, they are also trying to reduce the number of students that enter the university system. A socialist style school system is expensive to run and the government needs to cut where they can. We have literally THOUSANDS of alternative private schools here as well but again, unless you have the BAC, you can't get in. For those who cannot make it into the upper level schools there are vocational alternatives like hair dressers, hotel hospitality, refrigeration & construction, etc.
So although I have digressed here, that's a GOOD ONE, a simple structure that just needs volunteers to implement it. We need tutors in my neighborhood alone, particulary FRENCH & SPANISH TEACHERS to help with conjugation and dictation, math & science or simply coaching a girl's basketball team.
If you have a special skill and are willing to donate your talents, time and materials to implement it LET'S TALK!
Email me at JembeQueen@yahoo.com or SenegalStyle@gmail.com if you are SERIOUS about coming! Serious because I cannot contact these organizations or do the groundwork necessary for starting a class unless you, BARING DEATH, are DEFINITELY coming, have cash in hand for a round trip ticket, enough money for food & shelter to support yourself while you are here (no, there is no 'trade' for room and board or they would put their own people to work!), and additional funds for the 'extras' that you would like to do, such as aquiring visas to go to other countries, hire guides or translators, etc, while you're here.
Even if you don't speak french, there's a place for you. You can work in the zoo or botanical gardens (very nice places I might add!), There's an orphanage up the street that could probably use some baby minders in the evenings to give their staff a break - that frees up your days to go to the beach, explore the museums or whatever you want!
If you are an internet researcher, you can teach a free class to show students what they can do with their degrees when they graduate - there's a business school right across the street and a community center about 2 miles from here that has an excellent computer lab. Karate instructor? We have a national team! Lots of martial arts, kickboxing, and YOGA going on here in Dakar, as well as Fencing, Golf, Surfing, Skating, Basketball (the Women's team has been African champions 6x!), Soccer of course, Gymnastics, Tennis, Rugby, Cycling, Beach Vollyball, Chess, Softball, Ping Pong and SCRABBLE TEAMS, I could go on and on! Senegal has top ranked teams in just about everything you can think of, so just ask. If you come here, we'll FIND YOU SOMETHING!
This is NOT DIFFICULT, as long as you have planned in advance (which we will!), you'll be FINE and have fond memories of Senegal that will last you a LIFETIME!
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