Project “Strengthening post-COVID economic resilience in resource-poor communities in Senegal”

Partnership between Tostan and MasterCard Foundation

 

My name is DIENABA BALDE from Ndorna commune. I work as the Assistant to the Mayor of Ndorna, Souleymane Diamanka. Tostan has been active in our area for many years. I greet you all and express my thanks to Tostan for all their work that has benefited our village. Since the Public Declaration made on May 16, 2014 on the abandonment of Female Genital Cutting, Tostan has continued their work to support the well-being of our communities. 

Since the appearance of COVID-19 in Senegal on March 2, 2020, everyone has been working hard to curb this scourge. No-one has been spared by this pandemic. Through our experience with Tostan we have been coaching young people in awareness-raising techniques. Whilst Tostan supports and accompanies us, we have encouraged young people to take ownership of this work and to respect this commitment they have given to help their communities. But I would also like to invite young volunteers to respect the work they have been given and the trust they benefit from the whole community.

This awareness raising work around COVID-19 is very important – even if some people  say that COVID-19 does not exist, there are others who have lost a family member or a loved one or who have been cured of COVID-19. When young people go to the field, they need to stand as model examples by wearing masks and using gel. I believe that you can not educate others about respecting protective measures and not respect them yourself. Since March 2020 the fight has continued, we have continued supporting young people in their sensitization work, from the first wave and then the second deadlier wave; together we will overcome this pandemic. On behalf of my community, I thank everyone from Tostan and the MasterCard Foundation. I also thank the Senegalese health teams for putting themselves to work on March 2, 2020.