Tabara Sy /
Tostan /
Dakar, Senegal /
It’s been two years since I’ve been back home in Senegal, and this time it is quite different. This trip is not solely centered around visiting all my family and friends or doing tourist activities in Dakar. Though I’ll still be doing those things, I am immersing myself in work and seeing how work culture looks here.
Today is my first official in-person day at Tostan; I started working with them about a week ago. Despite not being fluent in the official language of French, I feel nothing but welcomed here. It’s truly a different experience working with people who look like me and having a goal/mission to work towards.
This week marks the thirtieth anniversary of Tostan being an active non-governmental organization in West Africa. Because of this, I’ve been gathering material from past interviews, photos, and videos to create stories on the impact and the growth of Tostan over the years. This material includes both sides of work, from the staff to everyday people. Right now I am working on a story about Mamadou Baba Aw, who is the program manager here in Dakar and who has been with Tostan since 1993.
During the upcoming weekend, I’ll get to experience first-hand being in the field, working with the people in the villages. My team is taking a weekend trip to Fouta, up north, for the public declaration of villages that have completed Tostan’s community empowerment program. We will be interviewing and interacting with people of various profiles and roles in addressing health, education, and protection of human rights. Fouta is my mom’s village, so I’m excited to see where she grew up. I’m looking forward to documenting it and bringing my knowledge to and from there.