For many, today marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. (For more on Ramadan, click here.) Islam is the largest religion in Senegal and many of our staff and partners have been observing Ramadan for the past 30 days.
Mandaw (Andando Lead Garden Technician) with the other members of his household. In Senegal it is common for multiple generations to live together.
Eid al-Fitr (or Korité in Senegal) is the celebration of the end of Ramadan - an important holiday – it can last for several days! Families normally travel back to their villages to spend this holiday with their extended family, or at the very least visit with their neighbors and exchange greetings and small gifts.
As with any celebration in Senegal there will be new vibrant clothing and delicious food, what is unusual about this year is that revelers will be practicing social distancing. (More on Eid al-Fitr during the time of coronavirus here.)
Bread is a common staple for breaking the fast and bakeries in the capital city of Dakar have been offering free delivery to help stop of the spread of coronavirus.
Travel restrictions are still in effect in Senegal. This includes its borders as well as inter-regional travel. And while we are cautiously optimistic that these measures are helping curb the spread of coronavirus it is also making it difficult for rural families to access staples such as rice and soap.
Participants in the garden collectives have been working hard to maximize their production which are now the sole source of produce for many communities. Village chiefs, mayors, and residents have expressed their gratitude for the gardens.
Sorting the emergency supplies to distribute to hundreds of families in rural communities.
Thanks to your support, an emergency distribution of these hard to get supplies such as rice, soap, and face masks were delivered to hundreds of families. (Click here to see more on the distribution.)
“If it were not due to the Andando provision we would have nothing to cook.”
Thank you for making this time a little brighter for the families we serve. To all our friends in Senegal, “Korité Mubarack” - Wishing you a blessed Korité!