kindergardens4senegal.org

Report November 2024

I am delighted that we were able to celebrate our anniversary in style and with so many guests. The hall filled up more and more, especially towards the evening. The Senegalese menus for dinner were well received and accompanied the cozy get-together. I was also particularly pleased to see how the two presentations looking back on 10 years of project work in Senegal were followed with great interest. The concert by the band JMO was a crowning finale. The musically exciting combination of kora (African bridge harp) and bass clarinet, accompanied by various rhythm instruments, was a real hit with the audience.

It was an all-round beautiful and harmonious event and I would like to thank all visitors for their interest and friendly support. A special thank you also goes to my tireless team of helpers, who contributed so much to the success of our anniversary celebration.

The huge effort was well worth it and the anniversary of our aid organization was celebrated with great appreciation. In the afternoon, it was mainly acquaintances who wanted to drop by, even if they were unable to attend in the celebration in the evening. This resulted in rather brief, but no less friendly encounters and conversations. At the same time, people took advantage of the delicious dessert buffet and the market stall was also very busy. We were also visited by families whose children enjoyed our various activities for the younger guests. They made candle holders, key rings and mobiles, all decorated with Senegalese shells.

The first presentation in the late afternoon immersed the guests in Senegal. The initial information about the country and its people was followed by stories about the creation of kindergardens4senegal and past projects. (Five new kindergarten buildings, pedagogical work in the classroom). Currently, I mainly support many kindergartens with my culturally adapted “play program”, which enriches the lessons with a varied learning environment. It is always exciting to see how happy and interested the children are in the various activities and what positive development can be seen in them in a short space of time.

In the late afternoon, the ALASUM drum group deepened the African atmosphere, while the aroma of Senegalese cuisine spread and whetted the appetite. Both typical dishes, “Mafé” (vegetables in peanut butter sauce with couscous) and “Thjebou djem” (vegetables with rice) enticed the guests to dinner.

The highlight, however, was the wonderful concert with the Senegalese Moussa Cissokho and his kora, together with Jan Galega Brönnimann on the bass clarinet and other wind instruments, as well as the Arabic-influenced percussion of Omri Hason. This special interplay, the sensitive melodies with so many musical facets, provided amazement and an unforgettable feast for the ears. The warm applause reflected the enthusiasm of the audience.

I will remember this wonderful anniversary celebration for a long time to come and the memories will stay with me all the way to Senegal. Once again, a big thank you to everyone who contributed to this wonderful celebration.