The Global New Generation Senegal (GNG Senegal) was founded in 2011 and is a part of the Global New Generation network. The non-governmental-organization (NGO) has its domicile in Dakar, the Senegalese capital.
Development and education are the main focus of the NGO. The organization’s first projects take place in the village of Kounoune/Senegal, close to the seaport Rufisque.
The people of this region mainly live from agriculture and stockbreeding. Due to this, the financial situation of the population is weak, because they live people from hand to mouth. Their income mainly depends on the weather and is very insecure.
GNG Senegal has decided to support the local population.
One of the goals of GNG Senegal is the growth of the hospital of Kounoune. During the rainy season (mainly between August and October) floods cause many accidents as well as increasing malaria cases. In this period the hospital is overcrowded. The hospitals staff doesn’t receive any support from the government; they have to face the situation all by themselves. Since the hospital is the only one in the area, the neighboring villages Keur Ndiaya Lo, Keur Daouda Sarr as well as Ngalap send their patients to Kounoune.
The equipment in the hospital is very insufficient; mosquito nets, beds, bed covers, towels, medicaments and antiseptic are missing. Therefore even simple sicknesses are often not treated and the danger of infection is constantly rising, mainly for children. Especially the baby ward is susceptible.
A further objective is the support of the school in Kounoune. School attendance shall be guaranteed for all children. Unfortunately this is not always possible due to the financial situation of many families. Often the parents are not able to buy the basic needs for school such as pens, pencils, exercise books, slates and satchels etc.
Youth unemployment is a further problem in the region, often young men and women don’t have any perspective.
The young German photographer and roofer Ben Lützig started a hiking tour from Gerolstein (Germany) to Tarifa (Spain) on 8th July 2012 in order to collect donations for GNG Senegal to support the village of Kounoune. During his “hike for people”, which took more than 4 months, Ben met many helpful and friendly people who supported his project. In the end, simple people donated 830€ for Kounoune.
Sustainability and personal responsibility are basic principles of Global New Generation. History taught us that the simple delivery of donations only creates dependence but is to no extent sustainable. This kind of dependence is no base for sustainable projects and furthermore does not create equal partnerships within the work of development policy.
That’s why GNG Senegal created a sustainable self-help project which guarantees the long-term support of the local hospital and school. At the same time, the project creates employment for young people.
Since Kounoune is located in an agricultural region, the GNG Senegal decided for a chicken project. Young chicken were bought and will be raised within a period of 45 days and then some of them will be sold and others kept for further breeding. The surplus will be used to buy the basic needs for the hospital and the school as described above.
Here are some first impressions:
