Student Sponsorship

The sponsorship Program, which benefits Catholic Students in Senegal, stemmed from a discussion that Msgr. Benjamin NDIAYE, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Dakar, & Emmanuel NDIAYE, President of the Senegalese Catholic Association of America (S.C.A.A.), had in 2020. Indeed, after being elected the new president of the Senegalese Catholic Association of America (S.C.A.A.), Mr. NDIAYE traveled to Senegal in February of the same year and requested an audience with the Archbishop.

During the meeting, the President shared with the Archbishop the intention of the S.C.A.A., despite limited resources, to support the Senegalese Church’s pastoral and educational mission. Further, the president asked the bishop to direct him to a sector where the S.C.A.A. could provide any assistance.

That is when the bishop suggested a sponsorship program because, in rural areas, many parents face considerable challenges in honoring their financial commitments regarding their children’s tuition. This lack of means to pay for children’s schooling is so real and burdensome on parents that some have to take their children out of the Catholic private sector to enroll them in public schools. This phenomenon has, in some cases, precipitated the closure of some Catholic schools.

Thanks to the generosity of members, the S.C.A.A. is offering scholarships to 31 students spread out the 7 dioceses in Senegal.