World Vision visit, Kaffrine, Senegal

25/26 January

This child obviously needs a sponsor

Head off early to get back across to Senegal, then up to Kaffrine. Stay overnight with no power, no mossie net and paying top dollar. L Walk through town to find the World Vision depot for tomorrow’s visit – Tim Costello would be proud – at least 7 4wds, and at least a dozen motorbikes are garaged there! Get to the depot, and no the coordinator, Momath is not here. Finally he arrives around 9.30am and I make myself clear – this not what I expected. Poor Momath tries explaining himself, especially when we head off in one 4wd (w/mp3 player!) & soon pull over in town to change to another car…. But when we pull into another World Vision office, brand new, with accommodation etc I meet Viviane who explains that this is the only their 2^nd sponsor visit in 6 years.

World Vision Yard, Kaffrine

I’m encouraged to ask questions and I find out that when you sponsor a child, the family nor the child actually get any money –the money contributes to local community projects initiated by World Vision! The letters to & from sponsors are written & translated within the communities by more WV representatives.. hmm Somehow I get the feeling, especially after meeting Mourtalla who barely utters a word, that the sponsors consider the personal contact a great thing when in reality the ‘personal’ letter is dictated by an adult to say whatever.

Mourtalla just doesn't look impressed, does he?

We get to the very small village, Kaur Modou Willane which is miles from anywhere and there is a small crowd waiting – all women & very small children at least. Everyone else is out working, including most able children. I meet Derek Borg’s sponsor child, Mourtalla Willane & give him a small gift of which he is not very interested – I think he really had no idea what was going on. Photos are taken, I meet the grandfather

Warming up the crowd!

who is the head of the village & soon the women get motivated, and drumming is initiated (2 upturned bowls & an upturned tub, hit with thongs & sticks!!). Then dancing, of which everyone has a go, myself included. Lollies are distributed (not too sure where they came from), a few simple games are conducted by Momath, who is very popular. As we leave I am given a gift of 2kg of groundnuts (peanuts in their shell). I accept them as Derek’s ‘rep’, and wonder at how I keep trying to lessen my baggage but seem to accumulate more. On the return trip I ask Viviane about the Koran schools, which she says are a problem, but very popular. I also tell her about the Solar Project in The Gambia that I visited, gave her details & hope that it may come to some fruition for everyone concerned. I have to say that the villages we passed through didn’t have a whole lot going for them except for mosques & groundnuts! Back @ the World Vision offices we have lunch together, and then I finally get my very first ride in an NGO’s shiny white 4wd all the Tambacounda. Heaven!