The Diapalante Community Education Centre in Kaolack, Senegal is open to everyone, regardless of age or background. While many children attend, it is often adults who feel the most urgent need for support.
Many adults in Senegal work long hours in low-income jobs that do not provide enough to support their families. This leaves little time to develop new skills or look for better opportunities. To address this, the Centre operates a flexible “drop-in” approach, allowing learners to attend at times that fit around their work and family commitments. Adults often benefit from more personalised support, particularly if they are returning to learning after little or no formal education.
Thanks to ongoing support, the Centre is helping a growing number of adults build practical skills for work and daily life. Within just a few months, around 75 adults have taken part in learning programmes. Of these, 50–60 are learning English to support their work—many are traders—while more than 20 are developing basic literacy skills in French, Senegal’s official language. A further 20 are gaining essential computer skills. Some learners study more than one subject, increasing their opportunities even further.
This growing participation is an important step towards the Centre’s goal of supporting at least 100 adult learners each year, expanding access to education and improving livelihoods across the community.
