Senegal
Stories from change-makers in Senegal
Coumbista and Evista are breaking stereotypes in their patriarchal community.
How? By writing and producing rap music to highlight the dangers of COVID-19.
In Senegal, rap music is used as a political tool. And the music industry is dominated by men. But Plan International is helping to make it more accessible to girls and women.
Both Coumbista and Evista are members of a Plan project that provides girls in Dakar, Senegal with a safe space to express themselves, while learning about their rights and gender equality. Since the two have grabbed the microphone, things have really changed. Men and women in their community listen to their music and see what they’re truly capable of.
“We want to make sure that everyone understands that this disease is real, and that it can affect everyone,” Coumbista says. “We will never give up raising awareness because, as artists, we are committed to inspiring our community.”
Learn more about our Gender & Youth Equality work
In Senegal, rap music is used as a political tool. And the music industry is dominated by men. But Plan International is helping to make it more accessible to girls and women.
Both Coumbista and Evista are members of a Plan project that provides girls in Dakar, Senegal with a safe space to express themselves, while learning about their rights and gender equality. Since the two have grabbed the microphone, things have really changed. Men and women in their community listen to their music and see what they’re truly capable of.
“We want to make sure that everyone understands that this disease is real, and that it can affect everyone,” Coumbista says. “We will never give up raising awareness because, as artists, we are committed to inspiring our community.”
Stuck at home during COVID-19 lockdown, Khadyja decided to log on to Plan International’s Girls Out Loud online forum, which provides a safe virtual space for girls and young women to discuss the challenges they’re facing.
It quickly became clear to Khadyja that girls and women are always disproportionately impacted during emergencies. She also realized that there was a serious lack of awareness on how to prevent the spread of disease.
Khadyja decided something had to be done. And she wasn’t going to wait for anyone else to do it.
That’s the day she became an activist.
Khadyja started dedicating her time to raising awareness about COVID-19 on social media. Through images and videos, Khadyja explains the essential protection measures needed to keep everybody safe and healthy.
“My main weapons: my smartphone and my voice,” Khadyja says. “It is important for me that my voice and actions encourage people to implement individual and collective prevention measures."
Because of Khadyja’s activism, more girls and children will be protected from COVID-19.
Learn more about our COVID-19 response work
Khadyja decided something had to be done. And she wasn’t going to wait for anyone else to do it.
That’s the day she became an activist.
Khadyja started dedicating her time to raising awareness about COVID-19 on social media. Through images and videos, Khadyja explains the essential protection measures needed to keep everybody safe and healthy.
“My main weapons: my smartphone and my voice,” Khadyja says. “It is important for me that my voice and actions encourage people to implement individual and collective prevention measures."
Because of Khadyja’s activism, more girls and children will be protected from COVID-19.
Plan International has been working to improve children’s lives in Senegal since 1982.
Our work in Senegal
Office & operations
Plan Senegal’s country office is located in Dakar, with program unit offices in Saint Louis, Louga, Thiès, Urban Dakar and Kaolack.
Technical areas
Protection, health, education, skills and work, disaster response
Number of sponsored children
As of June 2022, people like you sponsor 28,850 children in Senegal.
Gender equality is a fight we must all take on together. Through sponsorship, you can change lives and create long-term impact in communities.
The full circle of Fate
When you sponsor a child through Plan, you form an incredible friendship.
But that’s just the beginning. With Plan, you also have the unique opportunity to:
Send them birthday gifts and cards.
Give them special holiday presents called Little Treasures.
Subscribe them to Plan’s educational kids’ magazine, Sunny Days.
Arrange a visit (pending any travel restrictions), with individual travel assistance from us.
Each gift offering is safely hand-delivered by us, and given to your child with personalized cards from you. It’s likely that the child you sponsor will have never seen anything like these gifts, and with the exception of Little Treasures they’re available year-round to make the bond between you and your sponsored child even stronger.
Meet a child to sponsor