20 – 28 April 2015, Zigiunchor, Senegal, hosted by Federation Dimbaya Kagnalen
Youth workers and project managers from the Italian PRISM – Promozione Internazionale Sicilia-Mondo and our Inter Alia, were hosted for a job shadowing by Federation Dimbaya Kagnalen – a local NGO, in the framework of the project “The Young side of the Moon”, co-funded by the EU through the ERASMUS+ programme, Key Action 2: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices – Capacity Building in the field of youth”.
For a young organization like ours this mobility was a great opportunity for growing through reciprocal learning, intercultural dialogue, and exchange of experiences in the field of youth work and community development. And learning from our hosting organization “Federation Dimbaya Kagnalen” (FDK) was a unique experience of its own.
Federation Dimbaya Kagnalen (FDK) is located in Ziguinchor, in the south part of Senegal, where the peaceful coexistence of two big religions, and of neighbours who celebrate together are not just words but a reality. However, it hasn’t been like this forever. Reminders of the Casamance conflict is not difficult to find.
Monday morning – we were picked up by a driver who brought us to the FDK’s office. A sincere welcoming by the Office Manager Haby Diallo who we have already met in Caltanissetta, a short tour of the 2-storey office and… a meeting with FDK’s Board who sung for us “Bonjour, bonjour”… We couldn’t feel differently but welcome, smiles, open eyes and hearts when meeting a large group of parents, local advisors, religious and civil community leaders, managers, social workers and students, singing for us.
Getting back to FDK: local partner of Child Fund, Federation Dimbaya Kagnalen is a civil society organization with over 7-years of experience in community development and child protection. Looking for expanding their partnerships and promoting their work the Job shadowing was more than insightful. Activities in the framework of the partners’ visit included local community projects, pre-school and school education in Ziguinchor and neighbouring villages (ECD, Djiringho, Katy Kane, youth club of Boutoute, Childfriendly, Nyassia school, ASSOREP Yamatogne), cultural exchanges with children, youngsters and community members of the Dimbaya family, visit to some local authorities, cultural tours in the Casamance region, and specific sessions dedicated to the exploration of opportunities for synergies and development of follow-up international cooperation projects in the field of youth between the partner organizations involved.
Find more pictures and other materials from the visit here
