A country in western Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. It became independent of France on April 4, 1960. It is one of the most politically stable countries in Africa. Nevertheless, it remains among the countries with the lowest level of social development. Almost half of the country’s area is farmland, but agriculture is becoming increasingly difficult due to frequent climate shocks. The highest temperature of 48.8 °C has been recorded in Matam.
09.09.2022
Together with you, we are always driven by the idea of helping, but who doesn’t like to feel appreciated?
That is why the visit of the Polish First Lady to the Foyer s. Maria Goretti School for Girls in Senegal, is a special honour for us. The school in Dakar, although it has already changed the lives of hundreds of girls, is still just one point on the map of the needs of the entire region. Days like today remind us that our collective effort shows.
Just to remind you – in 2019 we entered a competition organised by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which resulted in a two-year grant. And the project was ambitious – renovating the entire school, equipping the kitchen and classrooms and the students’ rooms. The long list of subjects we wanted to impart to the students included training in project management, budget basics and accounting.
The result? The founding of a cooperative, which teaches the trainees entrepreneurship and the creation of their own brand of preserves or textiles in a practical way. It is the work of our female students, among others, that you can admire in the charity shop, where you can buy a bag even today. In Dakar itself, we set up a wooden workshop specially imported from Poland – the house has become a local attraction that regularly attracts customers. The girls’ beautiful work of tailoring can be purchased in the newly built boutique-café on the school grounds, while enjoying delicious culinary products and aromatic coffee. No visitor leaves with empty bags or an empty belly.
We started by mentioning the grant, but the creation of this wonderful enterprise would not have been possible without you. It is your support that ensures that the school continues to operate on a daily basis.
The revolution that took place in Dakar has given hope for an even better and more secure future for girls – we know it, you know it, and today the First Lady herself was able to witness it. But we do not stop at compliments! We still have new challenges ahead of us – in addition to maintaining the school, we want to continue expanding our educational offer. If you can, donate at least one day of vocational school education to our students.
21.08.2025
“Mademoiselle, vous êtes capable de tout”—these words sound like a foreign melody in the ears of many girls from Senegal. No one had ever told them before that they were capable of everything. They are 17–23 years old. Some come from small villages near Joal, others from poor neighborhoods of Dakar. When they finished primary […]
12.03.2024
[…] Dakar is, of course, famous for its Car Rapide. They are colorful buses, lacking windows and comforts, looking as if they’ve just fallen from the sky. Their presence on the streets of Dakar is a tale of how they survived that fall. They are an important symbol, coughing black fumes into the soul of […]
10.03.2024
Marie-Odile has a charming smile. It’s delicate, subtle, and very feminine. She usually sits on a bench in the park in front of the Franciscan Sisters’ school in Dakar. Marie-Odile’s shyness and her smile show her gentleness. Among her friends, she feels at ease. She treats new people with a slight hint of mistrust. With […]
