Learning opportunities for all in Kaolack, Senegal

A community education centre supporting children, young people and adults to learn and grow.

Support the Centre
Build the New Centre
See our impact

For over fifteen years, the Diapalante Community Education Centre has offered free learning opportunities to children, young people and adults in Kaolack, Senegal.

We work alongside the local community, supporting people who want to learn new skills, improve their prospects and build a better future for themselves and their families.

Who We Are

Diapalante means “working together in solidarity” in Wolof. It reflects how we work: listening first, valuing local knowledge, and standing alongside people as they pursue their own goals.

The Diapalante Community Education Centre is locally run and open to everyone, regardless of age or background. Membership is free, so that those most in need can attend. People come to learn, to teach, to volunteer and to support one another. Many are both learners and helpers.

We have been part of the Kaolack community for over 15 years and are proud of the trust that has grown over that time.

Today, over 500 people are regular users of the Centre each year:

around 250 teenagers
around 150 adults
over 100 primary school children
and around 50 learners who have never attended school
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Our work in Kaolack

At the Diapalante Centre, learning is flexible and shaped around people’s lives. The Centre is open six days a week, late mornings and evenings. Most people attend on a drop‑in basis, typically for a couple of hours, two or three times each week.

Evenings are busy, with full classes and people gathering in every available space. During the day, the Centre is quieter, allowing for small group work and one‑to‑one support, particularly for adults with specific needs.

People come for many reasons:

children who need extra support with French, the national language , used in school.
teenagers gaining confidence through learning, volunteering and leadership
adults catching up on missed education or learning skills needed for work
young people who have never attended school

Some people come steadily for several years, deepening and broadening their learning as they prepare for exams, work or further study. Many teenagers take part in the Young Leaders programme, gaining confidence and experience by supporting younger children and contributing to the life of the Centre.

Above all, people are welcomed and treated with respect.

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Our Impact

Impact is often seen in small but important ways:

a child who begins to read
a teenager who gains confidence to take on a leadership role
an adult who can read, write or use a computer for the first time

For many adults, these skills meet an immediate and pressing need. A trainee seamstress learns to read a tape measure. A mechanic gains the confidence to provide written invoices and understand contracts. Others develop new interests and ambitions—one young man, first introduced to computers at the Centre, has recently graduated as a computer engineer. Often gaining literacy or computer skills can mean keeping a job, taking on new responsibilities, or increasing their income.

An early evaluation of our primary school project showed that children improved their school results by an average of 12% across all subjects.
Many learners remain connected to the Centre over time, returning as volunteers, mentors or simply as part of a community that supports learning.

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Building a New Centre

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After fifteen years, the Diapalante Community Education Centre has outgrown its current premises. Our largest indoor space is designed for around 30 people, but often 50 learners take part in a session, with others listening from outside. The Centre runs part of the day and late into the evening, but space is now a limiting factor.

We are no longer able to meet the demand from the community.

In recent years, we have already had to reduce some activities. For example, when we lost access to a larger outdoor space, we were no longer able to run our primary school programme at its previous scale.

Despite making the best possible use of what we have, the current building now limits:

how many people can attend
the range of activities we can offer
the size and frequency of classes
the safety and comfort of learners

We are now preparing to build a new, purpose‑built centre in Kaolack.

A new building will:

allow more children and adults to attend
provide safe, appropriate spaces for learning
support the next generation of Young Leaders
secure the future of the Centre for years to come

This is a natural next step in work that has developed steadily over many years

Find out more about the new Centre

How You Can Support Diapalante

Diapalante exists thanks to the generosity of individuals, trusts, foundations and organisations who believe in long‑term, community‑led work.

Your support helps to:

keep the Centre open six days a week
pay local staff and running costs
provide materials, equipment and learning opportunities
build the new Centre for the future

Every contribution helps to keep this learning open to those who need it.

If you are considering a larger gift or partnership, we would be very happy to talk further.

Ways to support Diapalante
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Working Responsibly

Diapalante is a UK‑registered charity run entirely by volunteers.

This means that funds raised go directly towards running and developing the Community Education Centre in Kaolack, which is led by local staff and supported by the wider community.

We take safeguarding, accountability and good governance seriously, and are committed to being open about how funds are raised and used.

About us
Governance and reports
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Stories from the Centre

Behind every programme are people determined to learn and to help others.

Read stories from learners, volunteers and staff in Kaolack.

Read more stories and news from the Centre

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