Change takes time... That is generally true, but it doesn’t always have to be, especially when there is an opportunity to make a clear difference today that will last for generations.

Students from Kawé Elementary School greeted Andando with a play they prepared asking for support for their school. Here they are enjoying an initial small gift of school supplies ahead of the renovations.

Kawé is a remote village in northern Senegal, which we introduced in our last newsletter in an article about Indigenous pastoralists threatened by climate change. We visited the village in January as part of our research for that larger initiative and saw that its school, the only one for dozens of surrounding villages, was falling apart.

*Renovations are now underway! Here masons are repairing the walls, both structurally and aesthetically, before installing a brand new roof and adding bathrooms for the first time.*

The community asked for our help, and 75 days later, with agreements in place, permissions granted, and contracts signed, work began. Soon they will have two beautifully refurbished classrooms with a new roof, stronger walls, new desks, and bathrooms for the first time. Thanks to an unexpected gift from our friends at Altrusa International of Albany, Oregon, they will also receive new textbooks.

Andando is working to develop larger-scale strategic initiatives while maintaining our flexibility to respond to urgent needs like this as they arise. Your support this year will help make new projects possible exactly when and where they are needed most.

“Jéréjëf!” – Thank You!

- Garrison Harward, Executive Director
Garrison@Andando.org