Learning and Serving in Senegal

(SENEGAL) It is always a joy to receive guests, show them around, introduce them to World Renew’s partners and programs, and share experiences. This past summer we received no less than three interns who came to Senegal to learn from World Renew programs and lend a hand. In this newsletter they introduce themselves to you.

Rose Stratmeyer
My name is Rose Stratmeyer. This summer I worked with the Comité Evangélique de Coordination pour la Santé (CECS) in Senegal. I am very thankful for the rich and unique experience I had while I interned with this World Renew partner. My work consisted of developing programming that CECS can use in communities based on their expressed health concerns, supporting the launch of the Programme de Sante des Adolescents (PSA), and some other CECS office needs. The work has allowed me to travel to communities in Senegal and live as a Senegalese national during my 10-week internship.

I am very encouraged by the work of World Renew and CECS—and their dedication to the people of Senegal. I am a graduate student at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington DC, currently pursuing a Masters Degree in international development and international economics. I grew up in Spain where my parents have been missionaries for 25 years. I received my undergraduate degree in business management from Cornell University and afterwards spent two years in Costa Rica as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Hailey Thompson
Hello! My name is Hailey Thompson, but everyone here calls me by my Senegalese name, Penda Sene. I am living in Senegal for six months as a student and intern with Wheaton College’s Human Needs and Global Resources Program. My internship includes coursework from my university, an independent research project, and supervisory work with the Comité Evangélique de Coordination pour la Santé (CECS), a Senegalese-run organization partnered with World Renew.

In the last three months, I have helped CECS start four health education groups for underprivileged girls and boys between the ages of twelve and eighteen in two communities in the town of Saint-Louis. The program teaches the adolescents about health issues and healthy lifestyle choices. I have really enjoyed my work with the teachers and teens in these communities, and I can’t wait to see what God has in store in the next three months.

Natasha Hass
My name is Natasha Hass. I am a Social Worker from Kelowna, BC, with a heart for children. I aspire to make an impact in this world by seeking justice and encouraging others. I am doing a 6-month internship with EELS in the Dakar suburbs. I work with a program that educates non-schooled teenage girls in reproductive and sexual health, communication with their parents, and cultural issues such as teenage marriage and pregnancy.

In my work here, I have found that many people are willing to be frank and open about topics that are often taboo—such as rape, arranged marriages, and gender roles in families. It has been a wonderful experience so far, and I am looking forward to the second half of my internship!

It is a pleasure working with these enthusiastic and talented interns and volunteers. Each of them found us through a different channel: through school, a call for applications on the World Renew website, and an internship mailing list for expats in Senegal. If you would like to know more about internship or volunteer opportunities with World Renew, check out worldrenew.net/globalvolunteerprogram, or drop me a line.