Transforming Education at All Levels

Students from Guédé Village High School give a thumbs up for the recent improvements at their school.

Andando has had the privilege of partnering with schools at all levels, from kindergarten through high school. This year, that meant supporting two schools on opposite sides of the country and at very different points in Senegal’s educational story. At Ndiédieng Elementary School, aging colonial-era buildings had left students learning in hastily built temporary spaces. At Guédé Village High School, one of the country’s newest schools, inadequate facilities and rising enrollment had created major barriers to education.

One of the temporary classrooms at Ndiédieng Elementary School which are now no longer in use.

Overcrowded or deteriorating classrooms make learning harder. Students lack desks and textbooks, teachers have less ability to manage the room, and constant exposure to heat, dust, and rain undermines concentration. Too few bathrooms create another serious barrier, especially for girls, who often miss school when menstruation cannot be managed with privacy and dignity. These are the kinds of conditions that keep children from enrolling and make it harder for them to stay in school once they do.

Aliou Ba (left), and Seynabou Ngom (right), top of their class, spoke at the inauguration of the new classrooms.

Though these schools exist in very different local contexts, they ultimately needed the same thing: infrastructure that could keep pace with growing demand. That is why Andando constructed two new fully furnished classrooms at each school, along with bathroom improvements and new facilities to help ensure that children can attend school in conditions that support both learning and dignity. At Guédé Village High School, one teacher described the impact this way:

“Before your arrival the situation was very complicated because classes were overcrowded. They used to sit generally 3 students at a table and it was very difficult for us to deal with. With the arrival of Andando and the building of these two classrooms, it’s a sigh of relief.”

— Mr. Cisse

Bright and comfortable new classrooms give students at Guédé Village High School a better learning environment.

From the Director - Feb 2026

One of my favorite parts of this work is sharing success stories from projects we only just introduced to you. Development is often slow and tedious, but right now, Andando is building a level of momentum that is as encouraging as it is noteworthy.

We saw a wonderful reflection of this recently when Andando WON the .ORG Impact Award for Hunger and Poverty. It was a proud moment for our team, and the video produced for the event really captures the heart of our mission.

Andando WON the .ORG Impact Award for Hunger and Poverty. It was a proud moment for our team, and the video produced for the event really captures the heart of our mission.

In Keur Socé, momentum continues with the completion of our newest aquaculture integrations in the Keur Ngor and Saré Diouma women’s gardens. The joy and pride these women showed while stocking their first fish was incredible. Watching them master this new skill set with such focus is exactly why we keep investing in our partners.

The women of Saré Diouma stocked their new aquaculture basins in late 2025 and are preparing for their first harvest this spring. This is our 9th garden to feature integrated fish farming with more planned for 2026!

That same pride is palpable up north in Senobowal, where the new woodlot and women’s garden are up and running. The community is seizing this opportunity with gusto and has already planted more than 1,500 trees. Even more impressive, the garden is already yielding its first harvests after just two months, with lots more to come!

From dust to greens: Senobowal’s garden is already flourishing, providing the community with its first harvests of radishes and lettuce. In just a few short months this space will become a veritable oasis in the desert.

Finally, our partners in Guédé Village High School and Ndiédieng Primary School are hitting the ground running this school year with their newly completed classrooms and bathrooms! For years, students here squeezed into temporary shelters that were sweltering and crowded. Their beautiful, fully furnished new classes have reduced class sizes and created a positive learning environment for all.

Students at the Ndiédieng primary school in their new, fully furnished classrooms. These permanent buildings replace the temporary outdoor shelters the community used previously.

It’s thanks to supporters like YOU that we can keep up this level of momentum and impact year after year.

“Jéréjëf!” – Thank You!

- Garrison Harward, Executive Director
Garrison@Andando.org

From the Director - Sept 2025

Andando is now a two-time finalist, after being nominated in the Community Building category in 2023. This year we are a finalist in the Hunger and Poverty category. Wish us luck at the awards ceremony on October 7! (Pictured: Crystal and Garrison at the 2023 .ORG Impact Awards.)

Let’s start with some wonderful news. In case you haven’t heard, Andando has been named a finalist for the 2025 .ORG Impact Awards! Out of nearly 3,000 organizations worldwide, we are one of just 35 selected. This recognition is a powerful reminder that the work happening in small villages across Senegal is resonating far beyond their borders. What we are building together is world-class and deserves recognition.

This honor comes as we step into a new season of growth. With the support of Tomberg Family Philanthropies, we are breaking ground this month on new aquaculture basins in the Keur Ngor and Sare Diouma women’s gardens. These cooperatives only recently reached their savings goal, and it’s thrilling to be able to support their momentum by adding fish farming as the next step in their journey toward resilience.

Early construction on the new aquaculture basins in Sare Diouma and Keur Ngor.

Much progress has been made on the new aquaculture basins in Sare Diouma and Keur Ngor, with completion expected in just six weeks.

Further north, in Senobowal, the recent completion of the deep borehole well is unlocking a wave of possibilities. Women and children can remain home rather than migrating with cattle, which means kids can stay in school. We’re now able to move forward with a women’s garden there as well, along with a village woodlot and massive reforestation initiative. Thousands of trees will provide food, shade, and restored soil, helping this remote community on the edge of the Sahara to confront the worsening effects of climate change.

Before: Students at Ndiedieng Primary School sat four to a desk but with their new classrooms on the way this will soon be a thing of the past!

After: The new classrooms in Ndiédieng, along with bathrooms and water taps, are well on their way to being completed before school starts. These new additions will ease overcrowding and give every student a safe, supportive place to learn.

And in education, two major projects are nearly complete. The new classrooms at Ndiédieng Primary School and Guédé Village High School are on track to open before the school year begins, creating safe and inspiring spaces for students to learn and thrive.

None of this would have been possible without your support. Together we are saying yes to communities who are working tirelessly to build a better future for their children and the world around them.

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Join us for Stories from Senegal - 11th Annual Dinner & Gala Fundraiser

Enjoy live music & a true taste of Senegal with a dinner designed with Senegalese celebrity chef, Pierre Thiam!

Can’t make it in-person? That’s OK! You can still participate ONLINE!

From the Director - May 2025

We have water! The borehole at Senobowal hit water at 152 meters and was cause for much celebration by the members of the community!

I’ve just returned from Senegal, and I am blown away by the incredible progress we’re seeing on the ground. Like many in our sector though, we’re facing a rapidly shifting funding landscape that threatens our ability to do this vital work. That’s why we’re working closely with our team in Senegal to share Andando’s impact, like these updates below, with a broader audience.

A big thumbs up from Maguette from the Haffé Garden! These women overcame many challenges to get to this point. We give them TWO thumbs up back!

Since our last newsletter:

• The borehole in Senobowal is complete. At 152 meters deep and long dreamed of by the village, this well will begin providing clean water to more than 5,000 people next month,

• Mbantou Croissement celebrated its first fish harvest with a homegrown meal made entirely from garden and local ingredients. Both of our new aquaculture gardens are seeing major improvements in vegetable yields as well, thanks to nutrients provided by the fish,

• Our newest partner garden in the village of Haffé is also in full production, with the first harvests already coming in. In Keur Soce,

• More than 200 farmers took part in a training to help bring trees back into their fields. Andando will be providing them with additional trees during our next microloan dispersal to help to jump-start their restoration efforts,

• Finally, construction is moving forward at our two new partner schools, which will benefit over 1,200 students this fall.

Students at Ndiedieng Primary School sit four to a desk but with their new classrooms on the way this will soon be a thing of the past! Classrooms along with bathrooms and water taps will be completed before the next school year.

This is just a sampling of the incredible progress happening through Andando. As we begin sharing more videos and personal stories, I humbly ask you to help amplify them and invite others to be part of this journey. Senegal is making real progress in the fight against poverty, but the need remains great, and this is a critical moment to increase not decrease international support. Thank you for supporting this work and for everything you do to help spread the word about Andando.

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Ndiedieng School Update

Last year we introduced you to the community of Ndiedieng and shared their need for more classrooms and bathrooms for their primary school. Ndiédieng Primary School was founded in Senegal’s colonial period and most of the classrooms haven’t been updated in decades. As buildings crumble and become unsafe, classes must be combined, becoming more and more overcrowded as enrollment continues to rise as well.

Ndiédieng Primary School - Spring 2024

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters during the year-end giving campaign, the community of Ndiedieng is getting two new classrooms, new bathrooms for girls and boys, and drinking water taps!

Construction is well underway on the classrooms!

Earlier this month construction supplies including rebar, concrete, and sand were delivered to the building site.

Local construction workers hand-form the building bricks onsite for the foundation and walls of the classrooms.

The current state of construction:

Photos:
1) The trenches for the foundation are complete.
2) Workers have installed the first layer of bricks, reinforced with rebar and 3) the beginnings of the classroom walls are in progress.

More updates on the construction progress coming soon.

About Ndiedieng Primary School:
Ndiédieng Primary School was founded in Senegal’s colonial period. The school serves over 600 students who have been studying in cramped conditions. Currently, the school has no functional bathrooms, making health and hygiene a major concern for children and their families.

The renovations will address overcrowding issues and ensure the health and well-being of students and faculty. We are excited to partner with this community so they can give their children a brighter future for years to come. See more about Ndiedieng here.

Andando’s Education Program:
Many rural communities in Senegal are growing faster than their education infrastructure can handle, and as a result schools lack the classrooms and resources necessary for students to complete their education. Andando works with our partner communities to identify unmet student needs and collaborates with the Education Ministry to build infrastructure and provide the support needed for students to succeed. Learn more about our Education Program here.

We receive more requests for assistance than we can currently meet. You can improve the educational opportunities for students in rural Senegal by making a donation today!

Education: The Foundation of Progress

Andando staff with faculty from the school and the mayor of Ndiédieng (center in white).

We are proud to announce a new partnership with Ndiédieng Primary School, thanks to the generosity of our supporters during the year-end giving campaign. Aid for schools, whether through school supplies, additional classrooms, or bathroom facilities, is one of the most frequent requests Andando receives. And we listen. Because we know that investing in education is one of the most surefire ways to foster long-term, intergenerational change.

Classrooms, dating back to Senegal’s colonial period, are often in an unsafe state of disrepair leading to overcrowding in newer classrooms.

Over 600 students attend this school in overcrowded, crumbling classrooms without functional bathrooms. Together, we’ll build two new classrooms, new bathrooms for girls and boys, and drinking water taps so that students have the best chance possible to continue their education and build the lives that they want for themselves.

The Keur Socé High School Garden is a vital teaching resource and source of revenue for the school.

Over the past 15 years, Andando has partnered with 20 schools that support more than 7,000 students annually. These investments, combined with Andando’s other intervention areas, are creating a powerful feedback loop of socio-economic improvements. As families experience better food security, health care, and financial stability, more children are staying in school longer, reaching middle and high school levels, which is driving an even greater demand for educational infrastructure.

This ripple effect is especially visible in Podor, where the success of Andando’s interventions has contributed to an urgent need for a new high school. To address this demand, the education ministry began offering high school classes at Guédé Village Middle School, but without adding new classrooms. The school, together with the mayor and a local parents’ group, has asked us to build eight new classrooms, renovate their bathrooms, and add a school garden.

Students at Guédé Village High School share classrooms with the middle school, limiting enrollment while more students want to come each year.

This is just one of numerous school projects that we hope to add in the coming years to continue to respond to the incredible investment that our partners and their children are making in their future.