So we finally, finally, finally got our list of NGOs that we can contact for the practicum. Before I got the list, I knew I wanted to leave Dakar (for that week of the practicum), I want to help an organization who needs work done (rather than doing a purely self-interest project, which is an option for us), and I want to try to find someone who can speak English at least well enough to get me set up on my project and sites I want to visit.
Now, I have a list of contacts I will be calling tomorrow to start to setup my project. Here are my top picks, in somewhat of an order of preference (highest at the top):
+AFRICARE
African-American development organization, integrated development mostly rural areas.
+APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
Design of resource-efficient stovesm pumps and other technology, and production training.
+SOS FAIM
Today, there are 24 village shops that enable entire villages to avoid starvation, offering rice, maize, millet, peanuts, oil, sugar and flour. They provide the villagers with food products when the drought provokes a bad harvest. Besides, thanks to the shops women no longer have to walk long distances to fetch food for their families.
+OXFAM GREAT BRITAIN
development with grassroots partners
+OXFAM AMERICA
+WORLD VISION
various development-related projects, work with field office activities out of Thiès. Emergency food aid, fighting HIV/AIDS, building wells, supplying needs
+COLOMBIN
workshops for pottery and ceramics for the deaf and mentally ill children in schools
+WINROCK
soils, seeds, training of local populatoions
+GREEN SENEGAL
regenerative agriculture
+Nigerian Refugees in Senegal
There are many Nigerians living in Senegal, and they really are the poor beggars who deserve the money people give on the streets. I have seen many people, even those without much for themselves, giving to Nigerian families here. (and they speak English, so I could really interact with some of these people).
+RODALE INTERNATIONAL
regenerative, organic agriculture, compost, water retension systems
+UNICEF-United Nations Childrens Fund
+UNDP-United Nations Development Program
+USAID
Comments and suggestions and whims are always welcomed and really helpful...
The whole ordered by preference fell apart about half way through this list, and some of the websites are much more helpful than the others...
Anyways, happy 4th of July everyone! I celebrated by spending the afternoon on the beach and then going to Les Ambassades (the awesome patisserie) and having a Coca Light and an incredible ice-cream thing. I took a picture of it; you'll see it later.
