Kaolack and Sobo Badé / L'Engouement

On the way from Sedhiou north to Kaolack we stopped in a village for the driver of our "Taxi Brousse" (vintage 7-passenger Peugeot station wagon) to pick up a large bag of charcoal to take to his family. Charcoal is used to cook. We just wish that solar cooking would take hold at least to reduce somewhat the toll on the forests which are fast disappearing. Where there were dense forests fifty years ago, now there are fields and many fewer
trees in most places, even in the Casamance region of Senegal.

(below: what we want to see, right: trees cut down for cooking)

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Baptism celebration in Kaolack

At Sobo Badé we enjoy the sea-side restaurant as well as the sculpture garden and beautiful architecture of this dance recital space and artists' retreat.

Intercultural Dimensions participant Prof. Jay Lutz discusses African literature with Gérard Chenet at the L'Engouement artists' space (see dance stage below)

The Kolda Agricultural Fair -- March, 2013

Cakes baked by the Diedhiou Family's solar cooker

The Peace Corps in conjunction with other groups and the local  government organized the third annual Agricultural Fair at  Kolda, Senegal. Two members of our family in Sedhiou attended  and demonstrated their solar oven. We understand that the demonstrations were successful, producing delicious cakes. Good job! Solar cooking saves money, helps to alleviate the environmental damage caused by the use of wood for cooking and saves people from breathing unhealthy smoke. Samba and Néné Diedhiou --- center right interior of the Diedhiou Family's solar cooker Cake baked in the solar oven

Various places our Intercultural Dimensions program visited in Senegal

 APROFES Theater group in Kaolack

 Garden in Kolda assisted by a Peace Corps Volunteer (on left).

 Janet at the market in Kolda before visiting the village of Temento Samba

 Dancing at Temento Samba

 The Chief, Samba Mballo gave us his home during our visit.

 Solar power for this home in Temento

 pounding couscous at Temento

 preparing dinner at Temento Samba

 Fields adjoining the village

 Pape, who coached successful men's and women's soccor teams now turns to basketball.

Vocalist who sings with the balafonist at Sedhiou

 M. Mané, master balafonist at Sediou

 Fatou Diemé at Diedhioucounda

 El Hadji Abdoulaye Biaye giving us a lesson about the Region of Sedhiou

 Garden at Diedhioucounda

 We took a pirogue ride on the Casamance River to the Ile du Diable. (They say, it's best not to step onto the land).

 Computer room at the "Fort" in Sedhiou. (I hope it's being used by the people in Sedhiou.)

 Dinner at Diedhioucounda

 Cakes were baked for us in the solar oven at Diedhioucounda

 Tea in the afternoon at Diedhioucounda

 The Kankouran marches about in Sedhiou in front of our compound.

 Some of the women of Diedhioucounda

 On the road east of Kolda-maybe some work should be done here instead of building the new airport!

 We always enjoy visiting the artists' retreat, Sobo Badé at Toubab Dialaw.

 On the road outside Dakar

In the market at Kolda