SENEGAL
Local counterparts
Réseau des Femmes Transformatrices de Rufisque Nord (RFTRN)
RFTRN is a group of women that works to take advantage of the transformation of local cereals in order to reduce malnutrition.
REDA is a Senegalese non-profit association located in Dakar. Its actions aim to improve the living conditions of the populations.
Réseau Droit au Développement pour d'autres Alternatives (REDA)
2023-2024: Support to women's groups in the local food transformation project in Senegal
From Nutrition Without Borders we have supported the women's group of Réseau des Femmes Transformatrices de Rufisque Nord (RFTRN) in their Local Food transformation project in Rufisque, Senegal.
To locate the town, Rufisque is an African city considered the granary of Senegal and the birthplace of the first oil mill in West Africa. The region currently suffers from unemployment and food poverty given the global food crisis and the severe effects of climate change in the region.
It is for this reason that it has been decided to accompany this project, with the main objective of strengthening the capacities of women's groups for the transformation of local foods that contribute to improving the accessibility of basic grains and healthy products to people with limited resources.
The main activities that have been carried out are:
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Creation and conditioning of a space provided by the Rufisque City Council for a healthy food transformation unit for RFTRN.
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Equip the space with appropriate machinery for dry processing
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Spread the initiative of the Space of the Network of Transformative Women of North Rufisque and improve the self-esteem and dignity of the neighborhood.
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Promote a meeting that allows the exchange of experiences between the women's group of Réseau des Femmes Transformatrices de Rufisque Nord (RFTRN) and the women's group of REDA (Reseau Droit au Developpement pour d'Autres Alternatives) of Dakar and Nutrition without Borders .
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Conducting workshops to strengthen the capacities of the RFTRN women's group.
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Dissemination of information for local consumption with products in the neighborhood and schools in the area
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Start-up of the processing line for the diferent products.
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Establish marketing channels in the Rufisque Norte neighborhood that contribute to improving accessibility to quality products for low-income populations.
With the support of:
Local products for women's socio-economic empowerment
As part of the project Valorization of local products to improve the nutrition of the population and support the socio-economic empowerment of women in Keur Massar (Dakar), Réseau Droit au Développement pour d’autres Alternatives (REDA) and Nutrición Sin Fronteras, with the support of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, organized a 3-day training course recently held in Senegal.
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The topics of the sessions have been as follows:
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- The benefits of cereals and their impact on health: Dr. Doupa emphasized the role of cereals in providing essential vitamins to the body. Through participant interaction, it was concluded that it is very important to revive traditional cereal-based dishes. It was decided to share these dishes and experiences in the future.
- Cereals and student attendance in class: Ms. Mame Biram discussed the close relationship between good nutrition and student attendance. Those with more nutritional problems tend to attend school less frequently.
- Hygiene in the local processing of cereals: Ms. Oumy Ngom emphasized the critical importance of hygiene in cereal processing. It is absolutely necessary that the workspace is clean and that those handling the food wear gloves, lab coats, and are in good health. Additionally, it is crucial that the water used is of high quality. Finally, through the testimonies of women, demonstrations of various cereal processing and cooking methods were conducted.
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- Success story of social economy, the DiomCoop cooperative: Mr. Ababacar Thiakh (representative of Nutrition Without Borders in the Senegal and Gambia region) explained how to establish a solidarity-based economic system, drawing from the experience of Senegalese immigrants in Barcelona. With proper coaching, they have achieved positive results over time.
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The sessions have been a success and were very well received by the women in attendance. This positive reception will encourage more women to show interest in the project, thereby gradually spreading this knowledge within the Senegalese population of the Dakar metropolitan region.
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Additionally, in the first quarter of 2024, visits were made to two schools in the region. These visits aimed to explain the project to the school management teams. They viewed the initiative very positively and expressed their interest in conducting an awareness campaign for teachers and students. They also showed interest in receiving processed cereals to ensure the proper nutrition of the students. Therefore, the program will be expanded in the next quarter.
National Nutrition Forum held in Senegal
At the end of May, the National Nutrition Forum in Senegal was held, jointly organized by REDA and Nutrition Without Borders, with the support of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria. The event brought together about 90 people representing women's groups from across the Dakar region, municipalities, international organizations, researchers, REDA members, journalists, community leaders, and religious and cultural leaders.
Attendees witnessed REDA's presentation of the project aimed at enhancing local products to improve the population's nutrition and support the socio-economic training of women in Keur Massar (Dakar) for their socio-economic empowerment through the processing of local cereals. Due to the NGO's strong association with REDA in the region, the event was a success, and more than 50 women's groups decided to join REDA in this behavior change campaign.
Additionally, the event received significant media coverage, being featured in the newspaper REWMI and on 7tv television.
With the support of:
