Mrs Ohoven Ambassador of the YOU Foundation had to make pleas in Germany to sensitize the partners and the German investors on the project « City Baraka », a project which had been close to her heart since the years 2000.
Continuer la lecture de German investors visit Baraka and the City Baraka project …
The activities of the « Cité Baraka » project officially started in March 2018 with the construction of the first six buildings. This project, both sung by the YOU Foundation, is supported by the technical and financial partner of the YOU Foundation, Mr. Samih Sawiris, General Manager of the CasaOrascom Group. In Senegal the project is supported by the President of the Republic, Macky Sall who personally returned to Baraka on April 27, 2017 to launch the project « Cité Baraka ».
The Minister of Urban Renewal and Living Environment Senegal is responsible for monitoring this project.

After nine months of activities, the buildings took shape and a control apartment at the J building was finalized and visited by the Prime Minister of Senegal on January 23, 2019. The apartment was a F4 on the ground floor consisting of 3 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a toilet and a balcony. What a beauty !
Mrs. Ndeye Awa Bakhoum, mother of 8 children, is a beneficiary of an apartment type F3. She is a restaurateur in Baraka and is satisfied with the work because she had to visit the show apartment. According to her, there are only a few months left for her to find herself in her new apartment with her children. In this case it will have nothing to envy to other women from surrounding neighborhoods …
The small children of Ndeye Awa Bakhoum who are already in Baraka kindergarten will also have a playground where they can flourish …
Maimouna Sangaré who was the victim of a fire in August 2018 where she lost a good part of her clothes and materials is very enthusiastic about the project « Cité Baraka » whose work is in progress. She will benefit from a hard flat type F2 and think that there will be a fire hydrant in the new city …
Gassimou Diallo wood carpenter in Baraka, is also a beneficiary of an apartment type F3. Since the signing of the contract Gassimou is working hard to prepare his new life in the apartments. With the capacity building of the Baraka craftsmen he benefited from, Gassimou and his team had to participate in the project of relocation of the populations impacted by the construction works by the establishment of barracks.
Fatoumata Binta Ba, 6 years old, is the granddaughter of Mamadou Alpha Ba who is also the beneficiary of an F4-type apartment. Fatoumata proudly says she is very happy with these constructions and would like to be like Mrs. Ohoven to help vulnerable populations …
Mariama Ciré Diallo, 5 years old, whose father is the beneficiary of an apartment type F3. With the improvement of their living conditions, Mariama would like to study to help her mother and father one day …
With the project « Cité Baraka », the children express their ambition to study well to one day make money for their parents who sacrificed themselves in precariousness to ensure their education with the help and support of Mrs. Ohoven, their » Blonde Mama « of the YOU Foundation.
According to them, there will be no more shacks and huts and their friends will not make fun of them anymore. Now they will live in well-appointed buildings with play areas and clean common areas.
Thank you Mrs Ohoven, Thank you Mama Blonde …
YOU-Foundation has been working in the Liberté VI Baraque district since 1996 with the aim of improving the living conditions of these populations and restoring their human dignity.
Continuer la lecture de WORKSHOP VISIT TO THE NEW « BARAKA CITY » BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF SENEGAL
Far from the beautiful villas, all-terrain vehicles and paved streets, it is the dust, the promiscuity, the poverty which characterizes the Baraka district which is a poor district. This neighborhood is located in Dakar, Senegal in the municipality of Sicap Liberté where the majority of the population is illiterate and with a low rate of schooling of children.
Even though there were children studying outside Baraka, most spent their days dragging and playing in the neighborhood for lack of follow-up. Parents left in the morning around 7 am to go to work or sell in the surrounding markets to put some things on the table for their children.
After the follow-up mission of the representatives of CasaOrascom of Mr. Samih Sawaris in September 2018, it is the turn of the YOU Foundation- Education for Children in Need (Germany) to follow the progress of the project « Cité Baraka ».
Continuer la lecture de THE YOU FOUNDATION MONITORS THE PROJECT « CITE BARAKA »
The « Cité Baraka » project, whose activities were officially launched in March 2018, continues with the construction of the first six (06) buildings.
The construction of the foundation of five out of six buildings has started and the sixth will be started shortly.
Casa Orascom representatives Alex Calderoni, Paula Abad and Antonio Galdon paid a follow-up visit to the site on September 11, 2018. This visit was guided by Mr. Boubacar Mané, representative of HOPE’87-Senegal, a local partner of the YOU Foundation – Education for Children in Need (Germany) as well as members of the Baraka Development Committee.
The work began with the relocation of 76 families impacted by 78 by the works. These families are relocated in Baraques built by Baraka artisans with the support and support of Casa Orascom.
These households located to the west, north, east and south of the construction site are installed as follows on the road towards the health hut, in front of the Liberté VI Baraque market and in front of the IT Center.
Secure toilets are also built for these households and connected to the sanitation network of the National Office of Sanitation of Senegal (ONAS).
These households like Mamadou Diallo and his family live at ease in their new Baraques. Mr. Diallo is very happy because he has two barracks that are each 3m30 / 3m while he occupied before a room of 4m / 3m with his children.
Mrs. Kady Diallo, a breakfast vendor in the neighborhood, is also very reassured to stay on site to develop her business but to see the progress of the work of the building site and thank you very much « Mama Blonde ».
Ms. Thilo Ba is a woman who transforms agricultural products and works with her family to prepare Couscous made from millet, from which she received an order.
Some photos of the visit to Baraka of the partner Casa Orascom with Mr. Alex Calderoni, Mrs. Paula Abad and Mr. Antonio Galdon accompanied by Mr. Boubacar Mané, representative of HOPE’87-Senegal, local partner of YOU Foundation- Education for Children in Need ( Germany)
The rehousing of the 26 families impacted by the project « Cité Baraka » started since June 28, 2018.
These families joined the barracks built by Baraka craftsmen allowing these families to stay in Baraka according to the wishes of Madame Ambassador Ohoven, their « Blonde Mom ».
The Baraka craftsmen, especially the carpenters and masons, gave their all for the rapid realization of these barracks.
This project « Cité Baraka » which is strongly supported by the State of Senegal through the Ministry of Urban Renewal of Habitat and Living Environment receives the weekly visit of Mrs. Soumaré, President of the Steering Committee.
Indeed, after relocation of the families impacted by the construction of the buildings, Ms. Soumaré visited the site to check their living conditions in these new barracks which are only temporary.
The displacement of the populations will enable the company IC SUARL to be able to pursue properly its construction work and to widen their perimeter of safety. Now the area of the North and South zone of the site is completely freed to facilitate the construction of the first six buildings.
Outside the State of Senegal, the « Cité Baraka » project is also monitored by partner Casa Orascom. On June 24, 2018, Mr. Stefan Zingerle and Alex Calderoni visited the site and the rehousing site of the affected families.
After a visit to the relocation site, the partners decided to expand the site by moving households from the East and West zone of the site.
Craftsmen especially carpenters and masons are hard at work for phase II of the construction of barracks …
Some photos of the visit to Baraka of the partner Casa Orascom with Mr. Zingerle and Mr. Calderoni accompanied by Mr. Boubacar Mané, representative of HOPE’87-Senegal, local partner of YOU Foundation- Education for Children in Need (Germany)
The president of the steering committee of the « Cité Baraka » project Ms. Soumaré paid a visit to the construction site in Baraka on Thursday, May 24, 2018. This visit was facilitated by the team of HOPE’87 Senegal, a local partner of the YOU Foundation in Germany and the Baraka Development Committee.
As a reminder, this steering committee was set up by the Ministry of Urban Renewal of Housing and Living Environment to facilitate the implementation of this project which is very dear to Mrs Ohoven.
Ms. Soumaré discussed with the site manager Talla Diop and the director of operations Mr Kane of the company IC Suarl who specified that the site is in phase of installation with the preliminary orders.
This is the sand dune site supply for 20 m3, 3/8 basalt concrete for 20m3, 8/16 basalt concrete for 8m3, cement for 4 tonnes, 8 for 3 iron, 5 tons, iron of 10 for 1.5 tons, iron of 12 for 2 tons and iron of 14 for 0.3 tons.
According to Talla Diop site manager, the current job is to dig holes called building footings for a depth of 2m and a width of 1.5m to 2.20m.
For each building, only half of the footings were dug.
Workers who are on average 20 people a day are confronted at the moment of the work with the presence of the connecting pipes of the ONAS (National Office of the Sanitation of Senegal). The chair of the steering committee suggested that IC SUARL approach the ONAS to transfer the connecting pipes.
After the site visit, the chair of the steering committee held a working session with the team of IC SUARL, the members of the Baraka Development Committee and the HOPE’87 team in Senegal. During this meeting, Mrs. Soumaré informed the company IC SUARL that the work is late and will be late compared to the delivery time if no solution is found.
Site manager Mr. Diop responded by noting that the relocation of affected families had slowed down the work considerably.
This is how the Baraka Development Committee, in connection with the craftsmen of Baraka, decided to get their hands dirty by proposing to build much cheaper Baraques.
This initiative is taken on a consensual basis with the 26 affected families so that the work can be done in good conditions.
After the ceremony of launch of the works by the Minister of Urban Renewal, Habitat and Living Environment on March 15, 2018 in Baraka, the final adjustments are being made to start the actual construction.
In order to facilitate the movement and supply of the site with sand, cement, iron and other inputs, it is planned to move 26 households to the east and west of the construction site. SOREBA, a construction company is currently studying the case to see how to relocate these displaced populations in relation to the steering committee of the project « Cité Baraka ».
People are in a hurry to see their dreams become a reality.
This is motivated by a fire that ravaged the house of 2 households located in front of the primary school which part of the houses were bamboo.
These were the houses of Madame Fatou Sy and Fatoumata Sangaré. These two ladies are neighbors and the origin of the fire is unknown because no investigation was conducted.
The fire took place the night of 9 to 10 April 2018 and fortunately no loss in human life but the material damage is enormous.
All the small household appliances, furniture, beds, kitchen equipment and gas bottles were washed away.
The solidarity of the inhabitants of the neighborhood allowed the two ladies and their children to have clothes to wear as was the case for this lady above.
Construction work has finally started in Baraka with the ceremony of launching the works by the Minister of Urban Renewal, Habitat and Living Environment this Thursday, March 15, 2018 in Baraka.
This ceremony was attended by all the members of the « Baraka Steering Committee », the YOU Foundation with Blonde Mom and Mrs. Claudia Jerger, Casa Orascom with Mr. Stefan Zingerle and Mr. Alex Calderoni, Ambassadors of Italy and Italy. Germany in Senegal, the Director of UNESCO in Dakar, the Mayor of Sicap Liberté, the team of HOPE’87 Senegal, a local partner of YOU Foundation and the people of Baraka.
The ceremony was marked by speeches of gratitude, prayer and thanks.
Minister Diène Farba Sarr said in his speech; « … as part of the implementation of this path that is part of the urban renewal program, the Head of State of Senegal has taken all necessary measures for the effective conduct of this project … ».
The YOU Foundation by the voice of Mrs. Ohoven thanked Mr. Samih Sawiris his partner in this project, the Head of State of Senegal Mr. Macky Sall who believed in his project and supported it, the Steering Committee of the project « City Baraka » and the Minister of Urban Renewal and Living Environment Mr. Diene Farba Sarr.
The district chief and the Mayor of Sicap Liberté thanked the YOU Foundation partner but also the state of Senegal for the implementation of this « New Baraka » project.
The objective of this project is to restore the human dignity of the people of Baraka who lived for a long time in this precarious neighborhood.
The dream of « Blonde Mom » for these populations finally becomes a reality for her but also for the people of Baraka.
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