kindergardens4senegal.org

Report, November 2023, Feedbach from the Africa-Evening

I am very satisfied and happy with the outcome of the African evening. People were visibly enthusiastic, as I was able to see from all the positive feedback during and after the event. The sauces for the two typical Senegalese dishes, mafé and djebe djem, had become a little bit thick, which I had missed. But they were sold to the very last without any objections, as were all the "pumpkin pockets" and the pies with Senegalese vegetables. Someone had even fetched salad dressing at the end so that we could at least serve green salad with peppers, which we still had left over from decorating the plates. Many guests also indulged in the wide range of cakes on offer at the cake buffet.

And the feeling I had when I saw Amaru, (she is originally from Uganda), at a concert last year was definitely confirmed that evening. Her music and charisma had touched me so much that even before the end of her performance, the idea and desire had arisen in me that she would play at an Africa evening for my aid organization. I thought the "Sternensaal" with its open team was suitable and also the right size. And I was actually able to persuade the people in charge to organize and perform an African evening together. They even kindly covered the fee for the concert, so that admission was free and the entire collection went to kindergardens4senegal. And as expected, Amaru, accompanied by Benjamin with roots in Brazil, delighted the audience. The audience immersed themselves in their songs and even responded to their request to sing along. This made the musical part a wonderful experience for everyone involved, both visually and acoustically.

The harmonious evening with satisfied guests also had a positive effect on the collection. Once the calabash had made the rounds, generous donations were made. Together with the culinary part and the Senegalese drinks, this resulted in a nice sum for my other projects. The market also went quite well, even without the articles of my summer collection, with the sale of instruments, carved pens, jewelry and other Senegalese handicrafts.

So it really was a great success, and I received a lot of appreciation in general. Because, as I always say, we are dependent on financial support, but the many wonderful conversations, reactions and acknowledgements are also an important part for me personally and encourage me in my work on these projects, so that I keep at it even in difficult situations. And that is for over nine years now.

A big thank you goes to the Sternensaal team for their great support in all areas, as well as to my dedicated team of helpers. This event would not have been possible without their valuable help. Their tireless efforts contributed greatly to the success of the evening and deserve my wholehearted appreciation.

I am also looking forward to the upcoming play back theater evening by the group "geh dicht" and would like to thank them in advance for their free performance. The theme of "play" fits in wonderfully with my project work in Senegal. Just like the flexibility and spontaneity of the players, because both are an important part of the implementation of the new kindergarten buildings, as well as in the classroom. Before the play starts, I invite you to some coffee and cake, Senegalese snacks and drinks/bar service, as well as the small Senegalese market. There will also be an opportunity for varied discussions, exchanges and information about my projects in Senegal.

I hope that many visitors will be able to attend this exciting and certainly cheerful event.