Our Mission:

To increase access to education in Senegal by addressing hunger and providing students with tools for academic success.

Project Japale Goune began in 2003 with a shared idea that three Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars living in Dakar, Senegal could help students in their newly adopted community. By partnering with a local school, the Rotary Scholars found an easy way to make a big difference: help feed hungry minds. There was an obvious correlation between midday lunch and overall academic achievement: those that went without lunch often did worse than their peers.

After getting a great show of support from friends and family asked to help, the three scholars set out to eliminate the barrier that hunger can create for students.

Project Japale Goune has since built a fully functioning kitchen and school lunch program in the school. Each week, it feeds nearly 200 poor students. Without the lunch program, these students would be returning to classes in the afternoon, struggling to concentrate with an empty stomach.