Diakhaba Primary School Wall Project

Year: 2013
Country: Senegal
Project Status: Funded
Impact Sector: Health
Project Investment: $4,093.02

Project Launch:

Diakhaba, Senegal is a village of around 1,300 people, primarily made up of members of the Malinke ethnic group. The village itself was founded in the 1970s and, while there are a few small shops, most villagers work in the agriculture fields, where peanuts, corn, and millet are grown primarily. The village has a health post and a mosque, and the Primary School of Diakhaba is the only school. The school sits on a main road that runs all the way from Dakar, the country's capital, to Bamako, the capital of Mali. While its location makes the school accessible, it also leaves students playing in the schoolyard vulnerable to passing traffic. This project will make two infrastructure improvements at the school, both designed to keep children healthy and safe. First, it will lead to the construction of a wall around the school to protect the schoolyard and the students from the road traffic. Second, the school will install a garden in the newly protected schoolyard to improve the health of its students by supplementing student meals, which are typically only rice and oil, with fresh vegetables. These infrastructure improvements will greatly improve the health and safety of children in the village.

 

Project Update


This project was even more successful than I had previously imagined! This is mostly due to great planning and follow through on the part of the project leader, Mady Ba. He hired incredibly competent and fast working masons to complete the bricks in a timely fashion, then actually searched outside of the region for highly qualified workers to complete the wall. He constantly praised the work that was being done in a very public manner, including using the local radio station, to get the word out about what was being done, and thanking World Connect and Peace Corps for their collaboration in the effort. The result was a very public and successful project, which sparked other communities to begin the work on similar project. - Peace Corps Volunteer Chrissie

 

Testimonials


"This project has permanently altered the landscape of Diakhaba in a lasting and very very positive way. Heading up this project has taught me the importance of leading from behind. As the Project Leader stepped forward and took charge, the project became localized and sustainable." - Peace Corps Volunteer Chrissie
"I had concerns that children weren't functioning very well at school because they were not getting enough to eat at home - particularly nutritious food. The wall and school garden will allow for better nutrition, and ultimately, better performance." - Mady Ba, Project Leader
"When I saw what could be done here in Diakhaba, I felt inspired to take this idea back to my own community and make some positive changes at the school." - Demba, Project Participant
"When I get to be a keba (an old man), I hope I do good works like you guys have done here in Diakhaba." - Morike, 10, Beneficiary