What We Do

Peace Corps Senegal Volunteers work in several sectors including: Sustainable Rural Agriculture, Urban Agriculture, Environmental Education, Health, Agro-Forestry, Small Enterprise Development, and Eco-Tourism. While every Volunteer has a primary focus, Volunteers often work with their communities on other projects and may work as regional teams to accomplish broader development goals.

Sustainable Rural Agriculture

Agriculture Volunteers serve as extension agents, providing valuable services to rural communities, which may lack information and materials for increasing production. Agriculture Volunteers promote the transfer of appropriate skills and technology through demonstrations, while living with their counterparts in their villages and speaking the local languages of the farmers. Enhancing rural agricultural production is a key strategy for the Government of Senegal and Peace Corps’ efforts to raise rural living standards and stem the tide of migration to urban areas.
Case Study: Seed Extension Training in Keyemor


Urban Agriculture

Through the integration of traditional gardening techniques with the needs and available resources of Senegal's urban community, Peace Corps-Senegal's Urban Agriculture Sector has become a respected leader and advocate in micro and urban gardening in Senegal for the past 5 years. From working with individual households and farmers to some of Senegal's largest hospitals, Peace Corps-Senegal's Urban Agriculture Sector has greatly impacted the agricultural expertise of those we work with but also the nutritional and income-generating needs of many throughout Senegal.
Case Study: Microgardening at Hospital Fann in Dakar


Environmental Education

Environmental Education (EE) Volunteers help empower school communities (teachers, students, parents, other community members, and outside organizations) to work collectively to address the major environmental problems of their area. Volunteers work directly with schools and community groups and help plan and implement conservation activities, such as school gardens and tree nurseries, village cleanups, latrine construction, and other projects. Most EE Volunteers live in rural areas or small towns and work with primary or middle schools.
Presentation: Creative use of recycled/reused materials for microgardening


Health

Peace Corps/Senegal Health Volunteers work to increase the capacity of people to take charge of their own health care and improve their health outcomes. Volunteers are active in health education and awareness programs, training of community health liaisons and other personnel, and the development of health information, communication and healthcare management programs. Many Volunteers work on projects to reduce malaria incidence, improve nutrition, expand access to clean water and enhance knowledge of sanitation. The aim is the adoption of healthier practices by individuals, a greater availability of health knowledge, facilities and skills in communities, and, as a result, reduced disease and early mortality.
Case Study: Mosquito net "Legs" project.


Agro-Forestry

Peace Corps Senegal implemented its first agroforestry project in the 1980s, in response to the massive deforestation that has been taking place in the country for decades. After evaluation of its initial efforts, Peace Corps refined the focus of the program, with a greater emphasis on comprehensive agroforestry extension rather than simply just the number of trees planted. Volunteers focus on helping farmers, primarily in rural areas, adopt forestry techniques for income generation, improved agricultural production, animal forage, live fencing, and environmental resource protection.
Case Study: Fruit Tree Trainings in Kolda


Small Enterprise Development

Small Enterprise Development (SED) Volunteers in Senegal work to foster entrepreneurship and individual initiative. Those who take the time to analyze their environment, gather local resources, and plan business activities tend to have greater success. SED volunteers are the catalysts for this type of activity. Specific business education covers three main areas: planning, management, and other basic business skills; networking; and information and communication technology. Volunteers also provide direction through counseling and training in long-term planning, marketing, and record-keeping. Many Volunteers are currently focusing on promoting the production, sale and export of high quality artisanal goods and helping entrepreneurs grow food processing companies. A special emphasis of Volunteers has been on expanding the ecotourism industry. Tourism is the fastest growing sector of the Senegalese economy, but few Senegalese directly benefit from the revenues generated by tourist activities. Ecotourism-focused Volunteers primarily work with communities wishing to capture a greater share of this business while maintaining stewardship of their environment. In providing training to guides and community groups, Volunteers focus both on the business of tourism (management as well as marketing), and on the conservation and management of natural resources. Volunteers are often located near National Parks and other areas of natural beauty.
Case Study: Joal Waste Management Project.


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