Here every gesture makes a difference
There are places you leave behind, yet somehow they never leave you. Today we are sharing the testimony of one of our volunteers at the Talibé Children’s Home in Saint-Louis (Senegal), a project developed by Fundación Asha-Kiran together with Maison des Talibés.
These are her words:
“I first learned about the Talibé Children’s Home through Griselda, Project Director for Spain and Senegal, who told me about the project and invited me to visit. There I was welcomed by Mamadou, the director of the centre and himself a former talibé, who accompanied me throughout my stay and encouraged me to take part in every activity, every gesture, alongside the local staff and the children.
I especially remember my first day. While walking through the neighbourhood with Mamadou and the nurse, we saw a little boy, about six years old, who did not speak; he simply looked at us with a gaze that has stayed with me ever since. He had a huge wound on his leg. We approached him gently and brought him to the centre. There we washed his wound, his hands, his feet, and his face, and the nurse treated him with a tenderness I will never forget. That day, he also had a meal at the centre.
I also hold onto the image of every morning, when Mamadou opened the doors and we watched the children come in. And I remember their faces when they left: clean, well-fed, and happy after playing and attending class.
During my stay, some people close to me also wanted to get involved. They trusted what I shared with them and made small donations that helped improve the centre. I felt very proud of that solidarity because I realised that you do not have to be physically there to make a difference: there are many ways to help.
Since then, I have remained deeply connected to and involved in this profoundly human project, both professionally and personally, and I am already planning my next stay.
As a social worker, I know how difficult it is to rebuild a broken childhood, and there I witnessed that every contribution, no matter how small, becomes something tangible: a meal, a wound treated, a lesson, a childhood restored.
That is why I encourage everyone who reads this to support this deeply human project: here every gesture makes a difference, and you can truly see it.”
Perhaps that final sentence explains better than anything else what happens in our project in Saint-Louis, Senegal.
A contribution may seem small from afar. There, it can become a meal for a hungry child, medicine and supplies to treat a wound, soap and clean clothes, a notebook to learn their first letters, or a few hours in which a child can play, feel safe, and simply be a child.
You can help make this possible. By becoming a member of Fundación Asha-Kiran or making a donation, you directly contribute to sustaining the Talibé Children’s Home. And if you would like to experience this work firsthand, you can also take part in our on-site volunteer programme in Senegal.
Not all of us can be there. But all of us can help something reach there.