Senegal: Ibrahima's House

Dear friends, if you intend to go to Senegal you'll arrive at the Dakar airport and, if you don't lock yourself into the "tourist prison" as the locals call Club Med, but you are "on the road" travellers, I recommend starting your journey by going to Malika, 20 km from the airport, given the disastrous roads about an hour and 7000 CFA by taxi, and go and see Ibrahima's House, rue de la plage Malika, it's an NGO that takes in unfortunate street children, gives them a home, sends them to school, clothes and feeds them and above all fills them with so much love. Now there are 12 of them but their dream is to double the number.

We often hear talk of the problems of the third world, of Africa, of denied childhood, we talk of distance adoptions and humanitarian aid.

I've seen first-hand what it means to take care of those children, I've seen in their eyes the joy of learning, of sharing, and the hope of a better future, I've seen them keep the little letters from their "distance adoptive parents" whom they call "uncles" under their pillow, and proudly show you the photos of these distant families whose affection they perceive.

Everything that is donated to Ibrahima's House stays with the children, no expense to support the association and its promotion, they'll gladly host you, bring them clothes for the children, even heavy ones, it's cold in the evening, they're 50 m from the sea, medicines, you can't find them and they're expensive, or school material!! The doors of Ibrahima's House are open! but once you step through them you'll hardly manage to turn back without feeling nostalgic and shedding a tear, as is happening to me, I miss those 12 little black faces with big eyes, you don't know, until you see them, how much affection they're capable of giving you!

This is the link to their website, I remind you that you can also donate your 5 per thousand in your tax return to them... This is what you can do from here:

1) adopt a child: Postal account no. 58357948 (Abi 07601- Cab 03200 - Cin H) adotta made out to "la Casa di Ibrahima" onlus - Distance adoptions- 2) help pay 60% of the remaining cost of the structure purchased: "la Casa di Ibrahima" Postal account no. 48401657 (Abi 07601- Cab 03200 - Cin J) made out to "la Casa di Ibrahima" onlus 3) lend a hand in person (become a member, go to Africa to volunteer, work on fundraising, partners, sponsors in Italy)

I then went to Casamance by Air Senegal plane, Dakar Cap Skirring about 130 euro, at this time it left every day, I recommend if your budget is low the FALAFU, the sea-view rooms are decent and you spend 13000 CFA a night, with a bit more money the Paiotte or Ibiscus about 60000 CFA a day.

Go and see Karabane, the island of the fetish priest and some animist villages in the Ossuye area, don't forget to bring with you pens or balloons to give to the children you'll meet in the villages, not sweets, they rot the teeth, but a balloon gives them back the joy of childhood!

Talk to people, shake their hands, trust me, don't lock yourself in the hotel but try to get to know them, this is my suggestion. For more information you can write to me. Barbara