Hello First name / friend,
 

The Senegal Health Institute recently partnered with the New Africa Fund on a Nurse Midwifery Scholarship program. 

This program is geared towards underserved young women, between the ages of 20-26 from Senegal, who would never have an opportunity receive a formal education and attend the University of Ziguinchor to become a Nurse Midwife.

We chose four young women for this pilot program and they are on full scholarships, including an apartment close to the university that all four of them live in together. They started in the Fall of 2023 and will graduate in the Summer of 2026. Mai Sagna, one of our midwives, fully manages and mentors the young women in this program and oversees their well being, needs, finances, etc. 

We have been really impressed with the way these students have all managed their studies, living together, sharing chores, cooking and cleaning, and they have even created their own study room in the apartment. Their grades thus far are exceptional and their schedule is very full; they go to school six days a week from 8am-7pm, with Sundays off. In about a month, they will be adding hospital rotations to their schedules (7 days a week) and their days will often not end until 9pm.

 

Clemens Diatta was a Matron in training (traditional midwife) at our birth center, she is a really fast learner and an incredibly hard worker. She is from a tiny village called Kassel (pop. 200), which is about 6 miles from our birth center. Kassel is a village that has never had electricity and only has a 1-room schoolhouse. Clemens grew up with very little and loved training at our birth center so much, that we used to have to send her home so she would take a couple of days off–otherwise, she would have literally moved in with us. 
 

Saly Dieme was a Midwifery student at the University of Ziguinchor several years back and her family could not afford to continue to pay for her education, so she had to drop out. The university originally said she would have to start over; however, she has done so well that she will be graduating in the summer of 2026. Previously, Saly was working at our birth center as a Matron and we are so thrilled to be able to provide her scholarship, so she can complete her Midwifery Education. 
 

Mariama Ba is a graduate of our Adolescent Girls’ Program and she is an orphan. She was raised by different family members throughout her childhood, bouncing from home to home. We are especially proud to be able to give her this opportunity, as the chances of her gaining an education like this, would be next to impossible without this scholarship. She will graduate with a Nursing Degree. 

 

Sarata Diatta is our youngest student (at 20 years old) and her father–who is the only parent in the family able to work–is a guard at the fishing village, who makes less than $2.25 a day. Sarata has grown up in extreme poverty and due to the financial situation, her parents have been unable to fund her education. We are so happy to be able to support her in fulfilling her dream of becoming a Nurse.

There is a shortage in Senegal of Nurses and Nurse Midwives that is critical, so we are elated that we can do a small part in filling in some of the gaps. We will be adding more young women to this program, in the coming years. 

 

We will keep you updated on the progress of this 
wonderful program!