Pilot project BARAKA – from slum to modern residential area – in Dakar, Senegal, continues to grow with the Dance Kids: Poorest slum children who go to school regularly and learn well receive professional dance & choreography classes. The dance project promotes social and health aspects, cohesion and togetherness. The project attracts great interest among the children and young people.
BARAKA – the first roads are being paved!
Progress continues, and we are happy for the inhabitants of Baraka that work has started on paving the first real streets in the area that used to be a slum. This development is being done by the public works authorities and Promoville-Dakar together with the construction ministry of Senegal. They have committed to execute this part of the project. This participatory approach, coupled with the community’s self-responsibility, is especially important to ensure all project partners’ commitment. Also, this approach highlights that only when we work together, with everyone also taking responsibility for their individual contribution, can we ensure the well-being of everyone.
The new district is growing, and after already 60% of the slum dwellers have now moved into the clean new apartments, all other works are continuing in parallel.
60% of Apartments are Move-In Ready: Why the Delays?
Water and electrical supply are waiting for the would-be apartment residents in their new homes.
On October 29, 2020, Ute-Henriette Ohoven, UNESCO Special Envoy and Founder of the YOU Foundation, travelled along with her daughter Claudia Jerger, Vice President of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, to Senegal to accompany the residents as they moved into the new apartments. 60% of the units are complete.
PRESIDENT MACKY SALL VISITS BARAKA
The people in Baraka will remember this day for the rest of their lives: The President of Senegal, Mr. Machy Sall, visited them in their slum in Dakar and expressed his joy about the improvements about to begin. 2000 inhabitants enthusiastically celebrated the President addressing them in their mother tongue Wolof. They know that substantial changes are on the way, and that he officially supports the project “Baraka – From Slum to Modern Neighborhood.” UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Dr. h.c. Ute-Henriette Ohoven initiated this project to make sure that the people in Baraka enjoy basic human rights and financial freedom.
