In late February, GlobalGiving West Africa Field Traveler Alix Halloran visited CREATE!’s partner communities of Walo, Gagnick Mack, and Darou Diadji. Of her visit, Alix says, “The entire CREATE! team went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I was blown away by the incredible work that they have been doing.”
Alix is a masters student at Johns Hopkins SAIS who is putting her studies on hold to visit GlobalGiving partner organizations working in West Africa, including those in the countries of Senegal, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. GlobalGiving is a global crowd funding community that connects nonprofits, donors, and companies in nearly every country around the world.
Cooperative members in Darou Diadji are growing lots of onions. Although onions require nearly six months of tending, cooperative members can easily sell them for a good price at local markets.
CREATE! has been a GlobalGiving partner organization for the past three years. During this time, we have raised over $50,000 from donors through the GlobalGiving platform. Alix’s visit was a great opportunity for GlobalGiving and our donors to learn more about the impact of their support. Alix also met with CREATE!’s field team to discuss storytelling strategies and how the team can use social media to connect with potential supporters in Senegal.
Alix said of our programs, “CREATE! is focused on truly sustainable development that makes a real impact in the lives of rural communities in Senegal. They truly listen to the communities that they serve and see the communities as partners. The gardens that they support give these communities access to fresh vegetable and fruits and the people are thriving because of it.” Alix adds, “CREATE! cooperative members are excited to learn about sustainable agriculture and feel empowered that they are able to do the work themselves after learning from CREATE!“