Life Changing Service Trip To Senegal
Evelyn and I, had the amazing opportunity to go to Senegal on a service trip during the February break. Together with Mr. Burns and some people from the British school, we helped build a classroom in the village Warang. Additionally, we went on some fun excursions in the afternoons. This included a safari, a visit to the local fish market, quad biking, and an African dance-drumming workshop. We also visited a village where people live in mud huts and have no access to electricity or running water. On the last day, we saw the ancient slave trade Gorée Island outside Dakar. Thanks to Sophie Camara, who started the NGO “les Cajoutiers,” we had a life-changing experience.
Apart from working on the building site, we interacted with the children and spent time in the classrooms. All the students are sponsored, so it was great to see how enthusiastic they all were at going to school. We described Budapest to the curious children and taught them some English words. From then on, a group of children always flocked around us when we left the building site at lunch and said, “goodbye!” Similarly, every morning when we arrived by horse and cart, a flock of students happily welcomed us “good morning!” On the fourth day, Evelyn and I had enough courage to teach a lesson on our own (in French!). We read a children’s book about two rabbits and then encouraged the students to draw their own. Never have I seen so many excited children at receiving a white piece of paper and a colored pencil.
It was very rewarding, so thank you to all the HS, MS, and Elementary teachers who donated art and school supplies. We also want to thank the parents who donated clothes, as well as the library and language teachers who gave French books and magazines. From AISB alone, we brought four boxes full of school supplies. Furthermore, the HS Global Issues Team raised 90,000 forints from our successful jello sale. This money went directly to buy school lunches for the children of “les Cajoutiers.”
Linn Ternsjö
This is an ongoing project that we are very proud to support!
Senegal Service Trip '11 Slideshow
