Senegal lies on the westernmost border of Africa, below Mauritania and above Guinea. It is an independent republic with one of the most stable democracies and economies inAfrica. Senegal is home to 12 million people, 50 percent of whom are under 20 years of age.
      The official language in Senegal is French but Wolof is the most widely spoken Senegalese language. The capital city is Dakar. Despite a steady 5 percent annual economic growth rate over the past 10 years, Senegal still faces difficult challenges related to HIV/AIDS, environmental degradation, poverty, education and youth employment. More than 35 percent of youth live below the poverty line.

The YMCA of Senegal
The YMCA of Senegal formed in 1982 and is recognized as one of the leading youth-focused organizations in the country. The Y operates 10 branches throughout the country and serves more than 20,000 youth annually. The YMCA of Senegal is devoted to serving local communities through its programming but also to bringing different people together through partnerships and exchange programs with other YMCAs. The YMCA of Senegal continues to excel in providing socially relevant programs for young people, including:
     » The Adolescent Reproductive Health Program, which started in 1997, focuses on educating youth through information, contraceptives and medical services. The YMCA also seeks to work with youth, women and families of people living with HIV to fight community stigmatization.
     » The YMCA leads an information cafe project, providing the community with access to technology and teaching basic computer literacy to approximately 600 school children within the private elementary school system.
      Additional programs include day care, adult literacy, vocational training and camping. ▼
       To learn more about YMCA work around the world visit www.ymca.net/worldservice.

YMCAs offer more than
900 college readiness and leadership development
programs for middle and
high-school-age students.

The height at which
professional basketball
hoops stand was determined
when a Y staffer first
invented the game by
hanging peach baskets
on an elevated
running track.

1,139 YMCAs partner with
their community hospitals
to help Americans prevent
and manage disease.