Driving across Senegal is fun. What? But you complain about long bus rides and swerving a lot, how can you be saying it’s fun?
While in the beginning, the landscape alongside the national route between Tamba and Dakar resembled a painting taped to our windows – never changing, always the same. Some brush, some thirsty looking trees, some sand and maybe a goat or donkey here and there. In the last month, I’ve come to know Senegal in an entirely new light.
Roadside mango vendors rapidly approach stopped cars trying to make a sale
My main project for the last three months and into the foreseeable future is figuring out an expansion plan for myAgro Senegal. This project has been on my radar since January, but it was expedited in late May. Right after input delivery the first week of June, I was sent to Dakar for three weeks to do research and visit potential regions.
Since myAgro is a startup and the expansion needs and focuses are slightly different than those of the expansion model in Mali, I was given a lot of freedom to conduct research however I saw fit (with guidance from my boss). I started blind emailing and cold calling different local and international government agriculture agencies, microfinance institutions, other NGOS and the Peace Corps, setting up meetings and interviews. I tapped into myAgro’s network in Senegal, other expat friends and even former Kiva Fellows who spent time in Senegal. Soon, my calendar was full with meetings and village visits. The amount of blind contact@____.org emails that were returned is baffling. The speed of reply was refreshing (especially since I’ve been the one responding to emails behind that mask before).
These meetings were rocky at the beginning, while I was still figuring out how to be as precise, direct and confident as possible while meeting with high-level officials. But as I got more practice, I was able to start having really interesting conversations from every corner of the international development scope. These conversations were (and still are) teaching me about different approaches to rural agriculture finance, agriculture science and general finance throughout the country. From feeling like a shy, incompetent English speaker in a meeting with one agriculture expert to discussing cross border finance solutions with a powerhouse of a woman founder at a MFI in French I’ve learned how to rephrase questions, feign confidence while discussing sensitive topics and seen the genuine desire for NGOs to come together. After all, we are working towards a common goal.
One NGO I met with summed up what I think should be the goal for all NGOs, globally. While thanking a supervisor for organizing village meetings for us in two villages (for which we just asked to shadow his work. He went above and beyond by bringing the community together for the sole purpose of answering our questions), he said “nous sommes ici pour la commaunité. C’est notre travail. On existe pour les villages, pour vous”. Translation: We are here for the community. It’s our work. We exist to serve villages, to serve you”
I went back to Tamba for three weeks to onboard a new (also former Kiva Intern) colleague, Alyza and supported planting efforts (if the rains ever come!) but boarded the expansion train once again in August.
In August, I’ve been in our two top regions 2 times each, visited over 20 villages and spoken with over 70 farmers. It’s been an awesome experience. I’m in Dakar now with the whole Tamba Team and will be presenting my research on Monday, which is also the day my parents get in for a 2 week tour of my life in Senegal. It will be a crazy few weeks of driving throughout the country, pointing out the subtle differences and learning where the program (and therefore myself) will be living in September.
Filling up water at the well
Region 1 hadn’t received the first rain when I visited, so things were very very dry
In Contrast to Region 1, Region 2 has had more rain and is therefore much greener
Casey dancing with the kids
If only striking out areas were as easy as this sign makes it seem
To Tamba 