On Monday, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Senegal Mame Toucouleur Mbaye and several others visited Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara headquarters to discuss the ongoing work in the region and opportunities for future partnership in the West African country.
Mbaye toured the organization’s 155,000-square-foot warehouse, accompanied Khalipha Abubakar and Judy Smith, members of the Tekki humanitarian team. Tekki Foundation was established by Mbaye with the mission of creating health and educational opportunities for people living in Senegal.
Direct Relief has shipped medical aid to the country with groups conducting medical missions, including to Tekki Foundation. During a recent trip to Senegal with Tekki, Mbaye traveled with a physician and several volunteers to Mbaye’s hometown of Thies, Senegal, and were able to bring Direct Relief medicines to a local health center providing care.
Over the course of the 12-day trip, the team visited the central hospital in Thies, a newly opened urgent care center, an orphanage, and several schools, including an elementary school that Mbaye attended as a child.
Among the many items donated by Direct Relief, medicines for diabetes management were in high demand at the central hospital in Thies, where a special wing is dedicated to diabetes prevention and treatment. At an orphanage in Thies, many young women and girls received Days for Girls feminine hygiene kits sewn and packaged by Direct Relief volunteers.
In addition to supporting groups providing basic medical care in the country, Direct Relief has also worked to provide specialized medications for cancer care in Senegal. Since 2018, Direct Relief has donated $9 million worth of oncology drugs and related therapies to Joliot Curie Cancer Institute, located on the campus of Hospital Aristide Le Danec and affiliated with the University Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar.
Through a growing partnership with Tekki Foundation, Direct Relief is working to extend in-kind support to a larger network of organizations and entities providing much needed health care services to the people of Senegal.
