mouit
st louis
touba
thies
dakar
Toubab Dialaw
Program Overview
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT UNEXPECTED BEAUTY MIGHT EMERGE IN SENEGAL.
Young Senegalese artists, musicians, and activists are at the forefront of cultural innovation. Drawing on a rich heritage, Senegalese youth are working to envision new futures for their country and the African continent. As we traverse from the sandy shores of St. Louis to the bustling streets of Thies, we come to understand the many ways that youth leaders are envisioning change for their country—and draw inspiration for the ways we might do so in our own communities.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS & OUTCOMES
- Create profound connections across linguistic and cultural differences with local activists, musicians, artists, and homestay family members
- Build or hone a skill like dancing, drumming, or local arts and crafts with local artists
- Develop and practice French and Wolof language skills through…
Young Senegalese artists, musicians, and activists are at the forefront of cultural innovation. Drawing on a rich heritage, Senegalese youth are working to envision new futures for their country and the African continent. As we traverse from the sandy shores of St. Louis to the bustling streets of Thies, we come to understand the many ways that youth leaders are envisioning change for their country—and draw inspiration for the ways we might do so in our own communities.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS & OUTCOMES
- Create profound connections across linguistic and cultural differences with local activists, musicians, artists, and homestay family members
- Build or hone a skill like dancing, drumming, or local arts and crafts with local artists
- Develop and practice French and Wolof language skills through personalized instruction, and conversing with homestay families.
- Engage with complex environmental and social issues from communities at the forefront of change
- Taste rich and delicious meals around a shared bowl with your homestay family, sinking into the new rhythms of daily life
Our journey begins in Saint Louis, where we learn the basics of Wolof and French and have our first taste of Senegal’s delicious cuisine. In Saint Louis, the historic capital of French West Africa, we learn about the legacies of colonialism and the present-day realities of environmental degradation and rising sea levels. We meet with local activists working to defend coastlines and protect rare animals, and with resilient communities self-organizing to create change and envision new futures.
Moving south, we visit the city of Touba, where one of the largest mosques in West Africa is home to Senegal’s unique Mouride brotherhood. In Touba, we learn about religious tolerance and the unique ways that religion and politics intersect in Senegal. The program culminates with short homestays in Thies, where we work with independent study mentors in arts, music, dance, or other topics of your choosing, connect with vibrant local youth movements, and enjoy daily life with host families. We return home with new skills in music, arts, dance, and language, with new connections with local youth movements in West Africa, and with new reflections on what it means to create community and lasting change.
