The Centre International pour la Promotion du Leadership Féminine (CIPFEM) & CIEE Study Center in Dakar, Senegal
The Centre International pour la Promotion du Leadership Féminine (CIPFEM, The Center for the Promotion of Women’s Leadership), is located in the community of Grand Yoff, a poor suburb of Dakar, Sénégal. The Centre operates an after-school program that promotes the academic and leadership development of local women. A CIEE matching grant supported the development of a new project, “Giving Women Back their Voices,” which aims to improve the French language proficiency of women of all ages—their capacity to communicate orally and in writing. The program is designed to improve the self-esteem and confidence of the students through training in public speaking, word processing (including the use of relevant software) and rhetoric.
While French is the national language of instruction in Sénégal, it is not the native language for the vast majority of the population, and is often not spoken at home. The fact that instruction in public schools is conducted in French serves in some cases to discourage young women from continuing to attend school—especially in those cases where they cannot receive assistance at home since their parents are not proficient in French. French is also the official language of government in Sénégal, so women who do complete public education, but who are not confident about their command of the French language, are severely limited, where public leadership and government service are concerned.
CIEE funding allowed CIPFEM to provide women with after-school tutoring in French Literacy and Rhetoric. Students, among other things, participated in a penpal program that trained them to communicate with French speakers through email. The program provided activities designed to advance students’ reading comprehension, dictation, and conversation, as well as conversation and public speaking. The resource center has open hours during which students can practice their computer and French-language skills. At the end of this project year, CIPFEM provided the three strongest participants with supplies to allow them to complete a year of formal education in the local school system.
CIEE students contributed as volunteers in various ways, including assisting the Centre with their fund-raising efforts, working with CIPFEM to improve teaching materials, and working closely with selected students. The latter included teaching lessons, correcting homework, helping students write texts, and coaching their practice speeches.
Photo courtesy of CIPFEM & CIEE Study Center in Dakar, Senegal