Meet Camara, Andando’s Project Manager, Keur Soce

We are very fortunate to have a dedicated and passionate team on the ground in Senegal, working every day to build resilient, thriving communities. We think this team is pretty amazing and are sure you will agree. This is the third in a series introducing the people that make it all possible.(Click here to see others in this series.) Meet Camara, our Keur Soce Project Manager.

Camara joined the Andando team as our Keur Soce Project Manager in 2016.

Camara presenting at a team meeting.

Mamadou Camara, who also goes by Camara (pronounced Ka-mara), started with Andando in 2016.  Though Camara was born and raised in Kaolack (a larger town 13 miles from our offices in Keur Soce) most of his extended family is in Guena, Mali.  He is the middle child with eight siblings.

After high school, Camara attended Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis (northern region of Senegal) where he studied Business.  Earning a professional license in Project Management he went on to manage a real estate agency. Prior to joining Andando, Camara organized a community development project using microfinance (much like our microloan program).  This included providing trainings in financial education, life skills, and entrepreneurship. 

With this broad and extensive expertise, Camara was the perfect choice to fill the role of our Project Manager in Keur Soce where he oversees all of our projects including our nutritional program in schools and working with health post workers. 

Camara (right) with Mandaw (left) distributing soap and other sanitation supplies to a local health post.

Cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with local leadership ensures our programs have the local support needed to be successful. Pictured left to right (Camara, Boubou, Deputy Governor, Mandaw)

He works with Mandaw (Lead Garden Technician) to keep the microloan and community garden programs running smoothly. He is also responsible for collaborating with the village chiefs, mayors and the sub-prefect.  Cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with these leaders is vital because we need the permission and blessing of local authorities in order to initiate our programs in their communities.

Part of Camara’s responsibilities include overseeing the education and nutrition programs, which have increased students’ test scores.

Camara and his wife, Mariama Keita, have two children: a five-year-old daughter, Fanta; and their son, Omar, who just turned two years old earlier this month. Family is incredible important to Camara:

“Africa has sociologically its own definition of the family. Each person comes from a family, and we are committed to helping our families, to meet their needs at all levels because in Africa it is beautiful to work, however everything will be returned to the benefit of the family.”

— Camara

Camara with his wife, Mariama, and their two children, Omar and Fanta.

When he’s not working you will find Camara enjoying sports or listening to music. He especially likes Salif Keita, a musician from Mali. Your support enables Camara to help his fellow citizens. Thank you for investing in their future!

We are excited and honored to introduce you to more of our team and share their hope for the future with you. Thank you for your support!

(Click here to see others in this series.)

Meet Mandaw, Andando’s Lead Garden Technician

We are very fortunate to have a dedicated and passionate team on the ground in Senegal, working every day to build resilient, thriving communities. We think this team is pretty amazing and are sure you will agree. This is the second in a series introducing the people that make it all possible. (Click here to see others in this series.) Meet Mandaw, our Lead Garden Technician.

Mandaw joined the Andando team as our first Garden Technician in 2012.

“I am very happy to work to help my compatriots. As a Senegalese, I must do my best through my knowledge to support them in the field. I really want the Senegalese to know about the importance of organic vegetables. When the person does not know the basis of his economy, he has no knowledge of himself.”

— Mandaw, Lead Garden Technician

Like most of our Garden Technicians, Mandaw uses a scooter (or moto) to travel between the garden sites and provide support to the women’s garden collectives.

Mamadou Ba, or Mandaw (pronounced Mon-dow) to his friends, has been working with Andando since 2012. Born and raised in Fas Toucouleur (a village three miles from our offices in Keur Soce), Mandaw is well-known and respected in the community.

Growing up, Mandaw learned horticulture and arboriculture from his father, who is a Master Farmer through the Peace Corps program. He worked with his father for 10 years before he joined Andando as our very first Garden Technician.

Mandaw with his father, Abdou Salam Ba, in the Fas Toucouleur Community Garden. (Abdou joined the Andando team in 2018.)

Mandaw brought with him years of experience and knowledge of local and traditional methods of agriculture including grafting techniques, treatment and prospecting of soil and plants, and natural methods of pest control.

Checking on the seedling nursery, Mandaw teaches those new to gardening how to propagate and rotate crops.

Working directly with the women in the community gardens, Mandaw teaches skills such as how to construct a small nursery and germinate seeds, proper care and transplanting of seedlings, pest control and disease treatment, and how to make safe and effective fertilizer to boost crop production.

Teaching sustainable garden techniques gives participants the knowledge to become self-reliant.

Over the years the number of our community gardens has increased, and it became necessary to bring on additional Garden Technicians. Mandaw moved into the role of Lead Garden Technician, training new staff and overseeing the entire community garden program.

Mandaw (center) oversees the entire community garden program including training new Garden Technicians and supporting Agriculture Interns from Dakar University.

Mandaw with some of his extended family. In Senegal it is common for multiple generations to live together on a family-owned piece of land.

The oldest of eight, Mandaw lives with his relatives on a family-owned piece of land. He and his wife, Souadou, welcomed their first child, Abdou, last year.

Mandaw and his wife, Souadou, welcomed their first child, Abdou (named after Mandaw’s father), last year.

When he is not working Mandaw enjoys listening to music and will often be the first to get up and start dancing. Your support enables Mandaw to help his fellow citizens. Thank you for investing in their future!

Andando staff show off their dance moves along with the women of the Ndioufene Community Garden celebrating its opening. Mandaw is pictured on the left.

Update (Feb 9, 2023): Congratulations to Mandaw and his wife, Souadou, who recently welcomed their second child, Boubou! (Pictured left to right: Boubou Sy (Country Director) holding baby Boubou, Soudadou and Mandaw.)

We are excited and honored to introduce you to more of our team and share their hope for the future with you. Thank you for your support!

Click here to meet other staff.

Meet Andando’s Country Director, Boubou!

We are very fortunate to have a dedicated and passionate team on the ground in Senegal, working every day to build resilient, thriving communities. We think this team is pretty amazing and are sure you will agree. This is the first in a series introducing the people that make it all possible. (Click here to see others in the series.)

It’s fitting to start with our very first staff member, Boubou Sy (pronounced Boo-boo See), who has a long history with Andando (even before we were officially formed)!

Boubou has been working with Andando in some capacity for over 15 years.

Born and raised in Senegal’s capital city of Dakar, Boubou was a bright young boy who excelled in school and continued on to university to become a teacher.

Andando’s founders, Kevin and Fiona Kiker, first met Boubou while he was a university student volunteering at a center for refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia. That was 20 years ago! Boubou’s passion for helping others made them fast friends. They stayed in touch over the years, and the Kikers made a point to visit Boubou each time they returned to Senegal.

Boubou in his first classroom at the school in Keur Soce. He is now a teacher at the Ousmane Sembene High School in Dakar.

After graduating Boubou found a position in Keur Soce (some 130 miles away from Dakar). When he wasn’t busy teaching or grading papers, Boubou would spend time with local business owners and leaders. These relationships provided the initial foundation on which Andando was formed. Boubou volunteered part-time with Andando by coordinating our first microloan program. He was a one-man-show: interviewing potential recipients, vetting their business plan, distributing funds, making routine checkups, and collecting the loan payments for redistribution.

Boubou with Scott Kelley marking the location for water pipes to be installed in Keur Soce, 2008.

Slowly these projects grew. As more donations came in, water pipes were laid, wells were dug, and over time Boubou, and Andando, became known and trusted in the community. In 2007, Boubou was hired as Andando’s Country Director.

Boubou understands the importance of building strong relationships with members of the community. He takes time to meet with local officials to build and maintain trust and collaboration with Andando. Here he is pictured with the Deputy Governor and community leaders, along with Andando Program Director, Camara; and Executive Director, Lewis Kiker.

While in Keur Soce Boubou met his future wife, Amy Marone, and when his teaching term concluded they moved back to Dakar and started a family.

Boubou and Amy at their wedding in 2009, (Pictured left to right: Fiona Kiker, Crystal Kelley, Amy Marone, Boubou Sy, Scott Kelley, and Carrie Hazelton.)

Boubou and Amy have four children (names and pictures below), who are fortunate to have both parents as teachers: Boubou high school, and Amy junior high.

Boubou and Amy with their four children: their son, Ibrahima, and daughters Youmaissy, and twins Hawa Élisabeth Steady, and Aissatou Fiona Kiker.

Your support enables our staff to help their fellow citizens. We are excited and honored to introduce you to more of our team and share their hope for the future with you. Thank you for your support!

Click here to meet other staff.