In November, in Dakar, La Guilde was at the heart of major actions and commitments in the field of Sport and Development. Tom Gouffé, country coordinator in Senegal, had the pleasure of welcoming Pauline Chambon, Sport & Development project manager at La Guilde. A look back at these three days punctuated by project visits, meetings and discussions.
November 7: Events and meetings
On November 7, the La Guilde delegation shone at the “Sport Impact Summit”, a flagship event on the African continent. This meeting allowed for fruitful exchanges with various winning organizations from our Impacts International 2024 and Sport and Mental Health calls for projects. Among the associations met, Malika Surf, Ladie’s Turn, Special Olympics Senegal and Watoto Wasoka (Uganda) particularly captivated attention.
Two winning associations, Malika Surf and Watoto Wasoka, were distinguished at the Sport Impact Awards, thus highlighting the concrete impact of their initiatives:
- The trophy of the best Sport & Education initiative assigned to ASC Malika Surf for its project “Surfkids Shredding Senegal: Sport and Studies” which uses surfing to fight against inequalities in access to education in Senegal.
- The trophy of the best Sport & Health initiative assigned to Watoto Wasoka for its “Building Resilience through Football” project which uses sport to promote the mental well-being of young people living in the slum of Kampala, Uganda
We also had the privilege of being welcomed as an important player in Sport and Development at the French Residence in Senegal by Ambassador Christine Fages on the occasion of the visit of the Minister of Sports and Games Olympic and Paralympic athletes Amélie Oudea Castera.
November 8: Immersion within the projects
The day was dedicated to the visit of two Impact International 2024 winners, located in the Yoff district of Dakar.
At Malika Surf, the meeting with the founder Marta Imarasio and the young people trained in swimming and surfing was particularly enriching. This visit provided an opportunity to take stock of the project supported by Impact International 2024, highlighting the crucial importance of monitoring. A fun moment was also included in the program with a surfing demonstration by the young beneficiaries.
Another significant step was the visit to La Maison du Rugby, offering educational and cultural learning as well as medical monitoring to 200 local children. This immersion made it possible to attend recreational activities – drawing, sculpture, music – and mixed rugby training, demonstrating the social impact of the sport.
Thursday, November 9: Sharing and collaboration
The day was marked by collaboration with Play International in Senegal during the first national sports development afterwork, bringing together around fifteen local CSOs. After an introduction to boxing, presented as a catalyst for values by the “Keur Espoir” association, La Guilde shared financing strategies and financial empowerment opportunities for these organizations. An approach aimed at strengthening the capacities of local CSOs in their quest for autonomy and development.
The mission continues with constant monitoring of projects like that of Keur Espoir, candidate for our latest call for projects, where La Guilde is committed to providing its expertise to strengthen the structure and optimize financing opportunities.
Dakar was the scene of enriching exchanges, demonstrating La Guilde's commitment to supporting sports initiatives with a strong social impact, consolidating the foundations for a future where sport becomes a real lever for sustainable development.
