Pre-Departure Sessions: TBA
Senegal Trip: January 1-15, 2024
Post-trip Session: TBA
Applications Due: October 2023. Exact date TBA
Faculty Leaders:
Dr. Deja Beamon | deja.beamon@umkc.edu
Dr. Kelsey Gardiner | kgardiner@umkc.edu
Coursework: Gender, Health, and Development in Senegal: 3 Credits
- REGS 451 / HLSC 408 (UMKC)
- WGST 4874 / P_HLTH 4002 (MU)
Earn 3 UMKC or MU credits through this intensive course led by UMKC faculty (2.75 or better GPA required).
Fulfills the following requirements:
- UMKC:
- HLSC 460 Global Health requirement for Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHS) and Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) majors, as well as the Health Sciences minor
- minor electives for Race, Ethnic, and Gender Studies / Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies / Black Studies minors
- breadth requirement for Foreign Languages & Literatures majors
- major elective for FLL majors with the International Studies emphasis
- Biology 397 for biology majors
- International experience for some BBA and BSA majors (check with your advisor)
- Honors credit available
- Mizzou:
- Elective for WGST major or minor
- BHS in Public Health Diversity Credit OR Public Health Elective
- Elective for WGST/Public Health Certificate
This program/course examines women’s economic empowerment, health education initiatives, and social entrepreneurship in West Africa and Senegal in particular. In the main city of Dakar we will visit indigenous and global nonprofits to study their policies and processes. The culture, both urban and rural, will be experienced in order to provide a unique perspective on the Senegalese and their culture.
The program will be split between Dakar and the area around Toubacouta in the Fatick Region. Toubacouta is located in a mangrove delta and known for abundant fish, birds, and wildlife. This program allows you to live, volunteer, and experience two distinct parts of Senegal.
In Dakar you will meet Senegalese leaders and community activists working to improve life in Senegal. In Dakar, you will stay with a host family, who will help you learn about Senegalese culture. After a couple of days of lectures, you will receive your work placement — you will most likely be able to choose from 3 or 4 placements. Placements will focus on areas such as: health, education, music, entrepreneurship, business management, social service, local governance, and/or human rights.
In addition to working in Dakar, there will be cultural visits built into the schedule. Visits may include Gorée Island, which is a small Island off the Cape Verde Peninsula, known for its role in the slave trade. We will also visit mosques, museums, and the lively markets.
After working in and exploring Dakar, we will travel south to the Fatick Region and Toubacouta. Here you will stay in an ecohotel while we work on projects in the village. Saloum Delta National Park was formed when two great rivers met the Atlantic ocean. We will visit the park and explore the beaches, mangroves, sand dunes, and wildlife. After Toubacouta, we will return to Dakar for a final wrap up before flying back to Kansas City.
Senegal is the westernmost point of Africa, and its location has resulted in a rich and diverse culture. Dakar, the capital, was also the capital of all of French West Africa from 1902 to independence in 1960. Senegal is also the home of major Francophone African writers Leopold Senghor and Ousmane Sembène, also known as the father of African film; there are significant Francophone women writers from the country as well, including Marie NDiaye, the first black woman to win France’s most prestigious literary award, the Prix Goncourt. Senegal is also the home of mbalax and griots, giving participants the opportunity to partake in a rich cultural tradition.
Housing & Meals
You will live with a Senegalese family while in Dakar. You will be welcomed into the home of a Senegalese host family, who will provide breakfast and dinner most days. You will spend the first night and the last night in a hotel in Dakar. Some group meals at restaurants in Senegal will be organized and included in the program fee. While in Toubacouta, you will stay in an ecotourist hotel. Most meals are included. There will be 2-3 students in each homestay and sharing rooms at hotels.
Excursions
Several excursions are included in the program. The city tour introduces you to Dakar’s museums, mosques, markets, and beaches. In addition to volunteering in Dakar, we will also travel to Gorée Island. This small Island off the Cape Verde Peninsula is known for its role in the slave trade, colonial heritage, and museums.
The second part of the volunteer experience is around Toubacouta in the Fatick Region. The bulk of the time here will be spent getting to know the people of this region and working on volunteer projects. We will explore the Saloum Delta National Park as a group. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for mangrove forests, islands, sand dunes, and wildlife.
Program Goals/Learning Objectives
- Discuss Senegal’s culture and historical/current role in West Africa
- Describe the nonprofit climate in Senegal including practices of nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
- Evaluate various social entrepreneurship projects supplementing the work of traditional nonprofits in aiding women and girls
- Examine how promoting preventative health behaviors can impact economic development and improve population health in West Africa
