The Dakar lends a hand
Also worth knowing
For more than 30 years in Africa, and now in South America, the rally has teamed up with many initiatives to establish links with the people that welcome it. The context of rebuilding currently experienced by Chile has incited the organisers to develop aid with housing, via the charity Un Techo para mi país.
The Dakar discovers countries, regions, continents. It also endeavours to make the most of its encounters and maintain links with the populations through whose countries it passes. In Africa, then in South America, the rally has joined forces with several initiatives. It never forgets its roots or its values.
UN TECHO PARA MI PAIS
With “Un techo para mi país”, the action is focused on the domain of emergency housing. For the third consecutive year, the Dakar will be providing its support to this charity which carries out large-scale projects. The key points of the rally’s contribution are as follows:
- More than 330,000 dollars in three years.
- 250 emergency houses built thanks to these donations.
- Implementation of social re-integration projects for the beneficiary families (structures for developing literacy, computer equipment, etc.).
- Competitors and partners who promote and support “Un Techo para mi país” in keeping with the organisers’ example.
- A contribution is also taken from the enrolment fees paid by all the competitors registered for the Dakar: as a result, an additional 30,000 euros are donated to “Un Techo para mi país”.
Exceptional aid for Chile
In the days that followed the earthquake which devastated Chile at the start of 2010, A.S.O. was sure to show its involvement in the solidarity movement to help the country rebuild itself:
- A fund of 100,000 euros was provided.
Since 2002, A.S.O. and SOS Sahel have been working together to set up and develop the Actions Dakar programme, which strives to develop good environmental practices (savings in firewood, innovative irrigation systems, micro-crop practices, optimising waste collection methods, etc.). The projects are set up and followed-up in coordination with the committees of villagers involved in every stage of their accomplishment. Apart from several initiatives in Mauritania and in Mali, the aid has been focused on the region of Louga, in eastern Senegal. The main achievements are as follows:
- 700,000 euros have been consecrated by A.S.O. to Actions Dakar since the project was founded.
- 163 micro-projects have been set up (from € 2,000 to € 5,000 per project, in order to enable coordination by small-sized village committees).
- 331,000 people have benefitted directly from improvements in hygiene conditions, advancements made against desertification, etc.