Senegal

The Need

***Note: Full COVID-19 Vaccination is Required for Participation***

You will travel to one of the most remote and impoverished villages in Senegal and will provide residents with much-needed health care, dental care, education, and medications. You can expect to treat medical conditions related to malnutrition, poor living conditions, and dirty drinking water. In the rural and isolated villages of Senegal, it has become increasingly difficult for residents to find reliable medical services. The people of these villages are high-spirited, hard-working, and friendly, but they all struggle to live healthy lives and to protect the longevity of their children. More than 20% of children in the country are malnourished, and one in 11 children will die before the age of five. The focus of our clinic work will be the Talibe children who are often abused by the country’s education system. At clinic, you will treat children who have been severely beaten, have been forced to sleep on concrete floors, and have been forced to beg for the money they need to remain in school. You will also help patients with zika, malaria, schistosomiasis, scabies, lymphatic filariasis, sexually transmitted diseases, and bacterial and protozoal diarrhea. During IMR’s trip to Senegal in 2018, our teams treated more than 700 children and 1,500 adult patients, so we expect that demand for health and dental care during the 2020 trip will be high. Because of this and other concerning health issues, International Medical Relief has organized volunteer trips to Senegal for over 15 years. Our goal is to provide support to increase access to health care in Senegal. Please join us as we return to provide life-changing healthcare and medical services to the Talibe children and the remote villages of Senegal.

Our Work

International Medical Relief first traveled to Senegal in 2002 and we have continued to work here for over 15 years in Senegal’s remote villages. Between 2011 and 2019, IMR had a total of 177 volunteers and staff that served over 11,000 patients. There continues to be several health disparities that exist between urban and rural communities in Senegal and these remote villages lack access to health delivery services, which is why these outreach programs are critical. IMR always seeks to create a long-term sustainable plan for the success of the village and the different communities we serve. Since 2002, IMR has expanded across the entire country and supported several different causes, including the Talibe Children. IMR continues to provide community health training, medical treatments, medical supplies and equipment, and clinic operations.

With diligent planning and preparation, IMR is dedicated to ensuring that specific goals are met on our missions, each in correlation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3, 6, and 17.

IMR works to elevate vulnerable populations through shoulder-to-shoulder care with our local partners, creating workforce density, and a cadre of future healthcare and public health leaders in association to UNSDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing.

Our medical mission teams also work toward UNSDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation by supporting and strengthening the participation of local communities in improving their water quality, and installing water filtration systems that supply communities with clean drinking water and providing education on hydration and hygiene.

In correlation with UNSDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, our organization works in collaboration and at the request of local hosts where we are under their direct influence and affluence. IMR never goes into a country without a formal invitation where there is a great community need for medical or dental care, and health education.

This Mission

The Republic of Senegal is a bustling and colorful African nation and is one of the continent’s most popular tourist destinations. Famed for its rich music culture, lively streets, secluded beaches, and a large spectrum of wildlife, the country has something to offer every type of traveler. From dust-covered streets of the capital to vibrant and tropical mangroves along the coast, there are plenty of unique sights to see. Because of its complicated history with slave trade and colonialism, Senegal’s people represent many different ethnic groups and cultures. Senegalese culture is lively, vibrant, and welcoming and the country is now a beacon for African democracy. But, despite its strong democracy and reformed education system, Senegal is still struggling with social inequality and extreme poverty.

Lodging/Transportation

This is trip set apart by the variety of your experiences in Senegal. You will spend your nights in small hotels, with beautiful courtyards and excellent food.   Your transportation will be by bus and there will be hotels each night of your stay.

Highlights

You will join your team members on a one day safari  – get ready to have some fun!  Zebras, rhinos, and wildebeest, giraffes, and more are all possible sightings along with monkeys and many kinds of antelopes.  This will certainly be a highlight of the trip! The real highlight, though, are the local physicians who work with our IMR team year after year after year.  Working with these fine young doctors is the heart of sustainability – for IMR and for Senegal.  We’ll also be vaccinating our street children as we have for the past 10 years.  Joining us in the field in Senegal makes a difference.  Be The Good!!

Extend Your Stay

You’re venturing around the globe. Have you considered extending your stay a few additional days to explore Senegal? Join IMR on an exclusive three-day extension! Rich with colonial heritage and many natural attractions, Senegal is known for its exciting safaris, nightlife, and historical museums.

• Explore the narrow streets of Île de Gorée lined with pastel, French colonial buildings
• Discover the House of Slaves — a museum and memorial to the Atlantic slave trade
• Experience the wildly unique Lac Rose, which is a pink saltwater lake

Take a look at the trip itinerary.

Ready for the adventure? Connect with our preferred travel agency, Worldwide Navigators today, by emailing travel@worldwidenavigators.com  or visiting worldwidenavigators.com.