Our Mission
To empower women through education and microeconomic projects. Our Story The word "Yaakaar" means hope in Senegal's Wolof language, which we believe can be offered through empowerment and education. Working directly with our partners at PAFPEC* in M'bour, Senegal, our group, Yaakaar Women Helping Women, was founded in August 2008. With the help from our local community, we have been working for over 10 years to fund projects that help to meet the needs of Senegalese communities, identified by our PAFPEC teammates, Édouard and Mathilde. *PAFPEC: Programme d'alphabétisation fonctionnelle des parents de l'education catholique |
Our Projects
Over the years, we have worked to fund multiple different projects. Currently we are working to support: 1) Centre Assunta in Joal, Senegal is a three-year technical, life-skills, and academic program for girls aged 15 and up who cannot afford Senegal's private education system. The school's positive reputation in the community allows its students to easily find employment upon graduation. Since its establishment in 2009, attendance has risen from 35 to 120 girls in 2020. Our annual donations cover the cost of sewing machine reparations, fabric, and other sewing notions. 2) The Centre de formation Sainte-Élisabeth is a sewing school in the Diamaguène region of M'bour. It aims to improve young women's employability and reduce teen pregnancies and prostitution by providing short-term training and skills programs. Programs are currently run out of shipping containers, and with the school's exponential growth over the last 3 years, the need for a school building is urgent. We are presently sending funds for the construction of a school which will be able to accommodate 100 girls. |
Meet Sophie Kama
Meet Sophie, one of Centre Assunta's recent graduates. In this video, she shares about her experience at Centre Assunta, and how it has impacted her life thus far. |
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