EMBASSY DAKAR,S PROPOSALS FOR FY-2007 AMBASSADOR,S

UNCLAS DAKAR 000952 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR PRM, AF/RSA AND AF/W ABIDJAN FOR REFCOORD ACCRA FOR REFCOORD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF EAID SG SUBJECT: EMBASSY DAKAR,S PROPOSALS FOR FY-2007 AMBASSADOR,S FUND FOR REFUGEES REF: STATE 027884 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. Embassy Dakar is pleased to submit three proposals to aid organizations that provide critical assistance to refugees in Senegal. Each of the three USD 20,000 proposals focuses on the conflict-ridden Casamance region. The proposals consist of continuing a project to increase awareness of the peace process using community radios, assisting landmine victims and protecting refugee orphans. END SUMMARY. PROPOSAL ONE: WORLD EDUCATION/ZINGUICHOR-KOLDA -------------- - ¶2. World Education is requesting funds to continue its FY-2006 Ambassador's Fund for Refugees project operating the community radio stations it created. The stations broadcast peace messages in local languages. In concert with rural communities in the Zinguichor region, programming promotes good governance and tolerance and encourages finding a final and durable peace. Due to high illiteracy rates and a lack of electricity in many rural villages, community radio has become the main medium by which important information can reach local communities in a region that has not seen peace since 1982. Community radios are vital tools in trying to help populations overcome ethnic beliefs and lead to behavior change. Cost: USD 20,000. PROJECT TWO: HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL-ZINGUICHOR -------------- - ¶3. Handicap International (HI),a French non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on assisting handicapped people in particular, has worked in Senegal since 1996 with a national program to intervene in medical and economic insertion of landmines victims. HI seeks funds to improve the living conditions of landmine victims through socio-economic activities such as keeping handicapped children in schools, creating income generating activities, providing medical health care, and making orthopedic apparel. Most girls are given training in areas such as sewing and cooking, while men and women are involved in fruit and vegetable food processing programs. Cost: USD 20,000. PROJECT THREE: POUPONNIERE &VIVRE ENSEMBLE-ADSAHEL8 -------------- -------------- ¶4. The Mbour pouponniere (baby shelter) was created in 2002 and aids babies who are orphans from birth or the children of mentally ill mothers. As of writing there are 73 babies in the shelter. Most babies are from the Casamance region, and their mothers were either killed or raped. The NGO requests funding to provide the shelter with medical equipment, food and medicine, as well as to construct additional facilities to host single mothers and women who are having difficult pregnancies. Cost: USD 20,000. EMBASSY POINT OF CONTACT -------------- ¶5. For further information on these projects and any others, contact Political Officer Osman Tat at (221) 823-4296, ext. ¶2420. JACOBS