ARLINGTON, VA., Oct. 8, 2021 — Counterpart International today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $25M to improve food security, reduce the incidence of hunger, improve literacy rates, and strengthen the primary education system in Senegal.

Counterpart, in partnership with ARED, World Vision, CICODEV Africa, Imagine Worldwide, and Sesame Workshop, the Government of Senegal, schools, parents’ associations, community members, and non-government organizations, will implement the project to:

• Improve student attendance rates by providing nutritious daily school meals to students;
• Improve school infrastructure and increase parent and community engagement to support schools and student learning;
• Improve school and community health and dietary practices by increasing the knowledge of students and their families on improved nutrition, health, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) practices, and providing access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and deworming medications;
• Improve literacy of school-aged children and the quality of education by increasing teacher capacity through professional development, providing quality instruction and learning materials to students, and strengthening the linkages between local and national-level decision makers;
• Increase the capacity of the Government of Senegal to advocate for a national school feeding budget line item and operationalize school feeding at the regional and district levels; and
• Enhance sustainable school feeding operations through local and regional procurement and institutionalizing processes with the Department of School Canteens.

“Over the course of five years, this project will provide a vital safety net for food-insecure families living in poverty in Senegal, while supporting sustainable community-led partnerships, education, and child development,” said Brian Dotson, Director of Food Security. “We look forward to building on our successful and longstanding partnership with USDA and the Government of Senegal.”

Counterpart will implement program activities in approximately 555 schools in the Saint Louis and Casamance regions of Senegal. The project will be led by Kathryn Lane, Chief of Party. Kathryn has over 25 years of experience that started as a Peace Corps volunteer. She has lived in Senegal for over 10 years, where she has worked with USAID and local and international NGOs. She has designed, implemented, managed, and evaluated a variety of projects in the education, governance, livelihoods, and civil society sectors.

About Counterpart International
For over 55 years, Counterpart International has forged partnerships with communities and local organizations to build inclusive, sustainable communities in which people thrive. Our current project portfolio is focused on education, food security and agricultural development, effective governance, institutional strengthening, and economic development.

For more information, please visit counterpart.org.