"Study after study has taught us that there is no tool for development more effective than the education of girls and the empowerment of women. No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity, lower infant and maternal mortality, or improve nutrition and promote health, including the prevention of HIV/AIDS. When women are fully involved, the benefits can be seen immediately: families are healthier; they are better fed; their income, savings, and reinvestment go up. And what is true of families is true of communities and, eventually, whole countries."

- Kofi Annan

Former Secretary General of the United Nations





Our Vision



CIPFEM, a student-run organization, seeks to inspire young Senegalese women to stay in school, to develop confidence, and to explore their own possibilities. Our dream is for every woman in Senegal to have the resources and support necessary to pursue her very own education and, moreover, her future. By providing opportunities for female empowerment starting at an early age, we hope to strengthen young women’s voices to take part in the leadership of tomorrow.



Our History



CIPFEM was founded in 2006 by American study abroad students enrolled in the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE) program in Dakar, Senegal. We are extremely grateful for the past support of the CIEE Ping Matching Grant, the Dakar Women's Group, CIEE alumni, and other local donors.



The Challenge



In Senegal, many women do not have access to the same resources as men do. We believe that the lower literacy and secondary education rates of young women in Senegal have contributed to their marginalization in the economic, domestic, and political sectors. As such, CIPFEM strives to work toward educational parity in Senegal by closing the resource gap one girl at a time.



The Program



As of 2011, over 30 young women attend CIPFEM sessions twice a week in the neighborhood of Ouakam, located in Dakar, Senegal. Our efforts are concentrated on students ages 9-14, the group most at risk for dropping out of school. During these sessions, CIPFEM provides a safe space where local and international volunteers tutor and conduct workshops in the arts, athletics, and leadership development. We also organize excursions and invite speakers to encourage these young women to aspire to greater academic and professional heights.



Each of our sessions is broken up into three parts:



bullet Leadership Development

We believe that every young woman in our program has the responsibility to contribute in a meaningful and positive way to her community. Past leadership exercises have included activities that ask the girls to introduce their families, to think about and rank their values, and to describe what they would do if they were president of Senegal. These exercises encourage attendees not only to imagine the ways in which they could change the world, but also to give them the practical skills to put those ideas in action.



bullet French Language

We believe that every young woman in our program has the potential to reach not only secondary, but higher education. One of the biggest challenges for these students is learning the French language, as they mostly only speak Wolof outside of school. By offering fun French language exercises like "Jacques Dit" (the French version of Simon Says), but more importantly, by providing a space outside of school for these girls to practice and utilize their French, we cultivate the confidence and curiosity that are absolutely crucial to language mastery.



bullet Sports and Arts

We believe that every young woman in our program has the right to a sound mind and a healthy body. Past sports and arts activities have included choreographing group dances, constructing rag dolls, and playing tag. By emphasizing the importance of physical activity, we are encouraging the girls to prioritize their health and to take pride in their bodies. By offering an outlet for their creativity and originality, we are fostering, in these young women, a sense of ownership and confidence in their own ideas.



Our Future



CIPFEM hopes to partner with more local organizations in an effort to promote a greater sense of communal responsibility and interest in empowering the next generation of Senegalese women. If you are an individual or part of an organization located in Dakar, and would like to work with us, please contact us at cipfem@gmail.org.