Secure livelihoods for vulnerable youth in Senegal

As I am writing this report, we are impatiently awaiting the results of the presidential elections, which took place in Senegal last Sunday. Whatever the outcome, our hope is that the country will continue to keep young people as a top priority on its agenda.

Update Talibes Cohort 1

At the end of last year our local partner organisation AJE locally secured the needed funds for the building of the chicken coop, and have since taken over the responsibility of the construction work. We are eagerly waiting for the coop to be finished, so we can launch the next phase of the project.

Update Talibes Cohort 2

You may have noticed from a picture in our previous report that our partner, the CIPA agriculture training centre, has been undergoing some major transformations. It will soon be the flagship training centre in the region thanks to the support of KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency). This means that our next cohort will now benefit from brand new classrooms and equipment. The centre has also acquired extra land for training and will soon have its very own bus.

This is a very exciting development, but has no doubt been the cause of some delays in submitting the final proposal for government funding for the next cohort. With further administrative delays most probably linked to the preparations of the presidential elections, it was clear that our next cohort would not be able to start before late spring/ early summer.

For this reason, we decided to postpone our “End of year campaign” and focus our fundraising efforts on the GlobalGiving “Little by Little" campaign which will run from the 8th to the 12th of April 2019. During the campaign, GlobalGiving will be matching donations and giving out bonus prizes, as well as matching new recurring donations. So if you would like to continue supporting our work, please don’t do anything now, but stay tuned…

We look forward to sharing detailed personal testimonies as soon as the coop is up and running!

Thank you for your continued support.

Warm wishes, Savina

Dear friend of Aspyre Africa,

GlobalGiving Evaluation visit

As you may already be aware GlobalGiving regularly sends evaluators to visit partner projects, complete in-depth organizational assessments and ensure donations are used responsibly. During these visits evaluators conduct interviews with staff members and volunteers, identify training and support needs, and ensure a good assessment of a project’s transparency and effectiveness.

It was with great pleasure that we welcomed GlobalGiving Evaluators Anna Maria and Isabella to Saint-Louis at the beginning of November. A very full and varied schedule had been drafted alternating in depth discussions on topics like governance, finance and fundraising with field visits to see the work and meet with beneficiaries, partners and other stakeholders.

Quote from the Evaluators: “We visited Aspyre Africa's projects in Saint-Louis and carried out an in-depth evaluation of the organisation over the course of four days. During this visit, we were impressed with the strong relationships Savina and Veronique have built with local NGOs, businesses and government. Most of all, it was inspiring to see the impact the work of Aspyre Africa is having on young people in Saint-Louis, by building their confidence and providing them with the tools to access sustainable, fulfilling careers. We wish Aspyre Africa all the best in continuing their amazing work and we hope that others across not only Africa but other continents too will recognise the value of the model they are building.”

YEAR END CAMPAIGN: Sustainable Livelihoods for Talibes in Senegal (COHORT 2)

With the help of our local partner AJE, we are in the final stages of securing the needed support for the construction of the chicken coop for the first cohort of talibes. We also secured the commitment for technical support from the largest chicken feed producer in Senegal, whose technical advisor personally came to assess the plot and give us advice. All 18 talibes are doing well and are eagerly awaiting the chicken coop to start their income generating activity. Meanwhile however they continue doing small jobs to pay for food and necessities. The great news is that some have already put their newly acquired skills to great use and earning from it.

Following the successful training of this very first cohort of talibes in a government-run vocational training centre last year, we have decided to replicate this (pilot) project with another cohort of 20 talibes. This time however the government and training centre will cover all the training fees (horticulture & aviculture), which means that Aspyre Africa can focus its funding on providing a dedicated social worker and a career advisor for vulnerable students. We will also cover the cost of essential equipment and other expenses to allow the talibes to either set up their own business or find employment after training. It is our aim for this project to serve as a model, opening the door to formal vocational training centres to talibes, and to be replicated at a national level to tackle issues of youth unemployment and economic migration.

We truly hope you will continue to be our partner on this journey and support us for our 2018 Year End Campaign. Please check our updated project page for more details.

Have you ever considered becoming one of our regular supporters?

3 good reasons for you to become a regular donor:

1. Through your commitment you will allow Aspyre Africa to spend more time on programmes work and less on fundraising, thereby directly increasing our efficiency.
2. As part of the GlobalGiving Year End campaign new recurring donations up to $200 will get an additional 100% match on the initial donation (as long as it remains active for at least four consecutive payments). 
3. It is the most convenient way to spread your donations over a year, without ever having to worry about it.

Thank you for your continued support.

Warm wishes, Savina