USAID Mission Director breaks ground in first of 28 new middle schools for Senegal

USAID Mission Director Kevin J. Mullally, takes part in a groundbreaking ceremony at the Sinthiou Maleme middle school in southeastern Senegal. Photo by Richard Nyberg, USAID

SINTHIOU MALEME, Senegal, November 16, 2007 -- USAID/Senegal’s Mission Director, Kevin Mullally, joined community members in an official groundbreaking ceremony on November 15 at Sinthiou Maleme middle school in southeastern Tambacounda region.  The event formally marked the second phase of a USAID project that will finance construction or expansion of 28 middle schools through early 2008.  Since 2003, the Agency has built or upgraded 30 other rural middle schools, an important contribution allowing young Senegalese girls and boys the opportunity to continue their education.

Mullally was greeted in the village with scores of teenagers carrying signs bearing messages: “I love the American people, “ “With the USAID project, girls will stay in school,” “With U.S.A., education stands in rural areas,” “God bless America.”

“This new middle school will play an important role in the life of your community,” Mullally said after laying two concrete blocks, urging residents to draw up precise plans to ensure long-term maintenance of the buildings and equipment. “It will be necessary to promote participative and transparent management of the resources and activities of the school.”

The community, he said, had already shown its commitment to education by providing the site for the new school. “Your determination to invest in the education of our children is the key to a better future.”

While on his first field trip to visit USAID projects, Mullally also participated in a handover ceremony of middle school textbooks for the Tambacounda region and opened a workshop in Fatick aimed at encouraging more women to become teachers and school administrators. Only 10% of Senegal’s teachers are women.