10 March 1999

BONN: This Local Development Fund pilot project aims at supporting the decentralisation efforts of the Senegalese Government within the national policy of combatting poverty. 120 000 people live in the rural project area that stretches along the borders of Mali and Guinea in the south-east of Senegal. The task of the UN Volunteers who serve the project is to inform the population about the new roles and responsibilities of the local authorities and to help put that national policy into practice.

For that purpose, Mbaye Samb, a Senegalese National UNV, organises meetings between representatives of the local authorities and the people concerned. Since the project started in January 1998, he has helped set up an action framework for the local communities and identified the training requirements necessary for its implementation. Hamadoune Maradou, a UNV from Mali, is in turn training local councillors in communal administrative management. Amadou Sidibé, a specialist in rural engineering, is another UNV from Mali. He is in charge of infrastructure requirements, monitoring all construction works in the project area - schools, health centres, wells etc.. He also passes on his knowledge through technical training classes and writing maintenance handbooks.

One of the aims of the project is to increase agricultural production in the villages. This is what Moussa Sow, a National UNV and horticulturist, works on. He promotes growing vegetables, rice and fruit in the area. Training courses for the producers, to improve their skills, are also an integral part of his work. Also from Senegal is Mame Faballa Ndiaye, a NUNV veterinarian. Livestock in the region are poorly looked after. Epidemics and the lack of preventive measures regularly reduce the number of farm animals. "My aim is to improve the health of livestock and also to train auxiliary vets", she says. Another goal is to further promote sheep and cattle breeding. And for good measure, Mame Faballa encourages farmers to get involved in bee-keeping and rearing poultry and fish.

Active involvement of the women is a must if the region is to be developed. So Ganthiry Diarra supports women in organising themselves in groups. Together they discuss initiatives to improve their economic situation. "I also try to alert the women to matters relating to health or the environment", says Ganthiry. If the strength of their commitment is the criterion, it looks sure that these UN Volunteers will have succeeded when the project comes to an end in 2001 - the very time when volunteers all over the world will celebrate the International Year of Volunteers.