Mbour and Touba, Senegal – May 23-30, 2027

Volunteers are also responsible for purchasing their international airfare.  Volunteers should not purchase airfare before being notified by their team leader that the trip and dates are confirmed.

 

About the trip: Join Global First Responder as we travel to Mbour and Touba, Senegal in May 2027 to provide medical care, health education, and health and first aid supplies for the Talibés children, pregnant women, and rural communities where care is difficult to access.

While many Talibés (“students”) receive an excellent education in traditional Qur’anic schools and are well cared for, many others live under terrible conditions.  These are the boys, 3-15 years old, that we will care for on this trip.  We will provide much needed medical care, wound care, anti-parasitic medications, hygiene supplies, and first aid kits for these boys.  In partnership with Drawing for the Planet (a 501c3 non-profit organization), we will also provide art supplies to the Daaras (schools) which will encourage creativity and help the children learn about the wildlife of Senegal.

Pregnant women receive basic services in Senegal but are generally unable to receive care such as ultrasounds and to spend time getting their questions answered.  This is also true in the remote communities, where care is difficult to access due to road conditions and an overwhelmed health care system.

Our first two days of clinic will be in Mbour, about 45 minutes from the airport and about 1.5 hours from Dakar.  This is a beach city and our hotel will be on the beach. All beaches are public and you will find many people swimming, exercising, or relaxing on the beach at all hours.  Traditional fishing boats, generally friendly dogs, and sea glass will round out your beach time!  After 2 solid days of clinics in Mbour we will travel 3-4 hours by bus to Touba for 3 more days of clinic.  Touba is one of the holiest Muslim cities in the world, the birthplace of Sufism – the inner, mystical dimension of Islam – and home to hundreds of Talibes.

Pediatricians, Family Practice and General Practice Physicians, Dermatologists, Midwives and Women’s Health Physicians, Nurses, Public Health Professionals, Paramedics, EMTs, and support staff are especially needed!

Sustainability: With your help, GFR provides health education to all patients.  In Senegal, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, GFR will provide anti-parasitics and hygiene supplies.  We will also test and treat for malaria and provide education and needed supplies.  In 2020, more than 600,00 deaths were attributed to malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Prevention of disease is the most important care we can provide and a focus of GFR’s sustainability program. GFR will also continue to provide dental care and dental hygiene supplies and education.  Our highly experienced midwife/women’s health team will provide training to rural health care workers in addition to examinations and education for pregnant women.

Check back for more information about other sustainability projects as we continue to plan this portion of our mission.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS TRIP BEFORE YOU APPLY:  We want you to be prepared for volunteering and caring for others!  Please read this section carefully and make sure that you are capable of participating fully in the following conditions.  Our team leaders are for your safety and to ensure that the clinical experience is excellent for our patients and providers – they are not able to change the conditions you are working or staying in!

Physical Conditions: This trip requires moderate physical condition including the ability to carry supplies over short distances, withstand high temperatures, and less than optimal conditions in clinic,  You will be traveling by bus each day.  We recommend bringing your own supply of sunscreen, bug spray, anti-itch and anti-fungal creams.  You can expect long days in clinic.

Food:  Local food is often served family style on large platters – you will not get to choose what is prepared and 4-6 people will eat from the same platter. Think of your portion as the area directly in front of you.  Meat, fish, rice or couscous, and vegetables are on the same platter. Meals served in restaurants will accommodate most food requirements and are served in a more western style.  Meals are served late with lunches often served around 4pm and dinners between 8 and 10pm.   You may bring snacks or other personal food with you to accommodate your own needs.  Please remember you may also be asked to bring supplies sent to you by GFR when you are packing.

Lodging: You will be staying in a hotel on the beach on this trip.  Each room has a  private bathroom with shower, sink, and toilet; there may not be water available for showers at all hours or hot water.  The hotel will have air conditioning but rolling blackouts are common and you may not have air conditioning at all times.  Laundry is generally available at the hotel.  The hotel is nice, serves food, and is very accommodating to our teams.

Personal Electronics: You will be able to charge personal electronics in your room, rolling blackouts permitting. Please bring a solar charger or extra batteries as required for your personal items and for use in clinic.

Arrivals and Departures for the Medical/Dental Team: Please arrive in Dakar (airport code DSS) in time for an 8am start on May 24.  The airport is located about 45 minutes from Mbour and about 45 minutes from Dakar.  Your team will have a preparation day and some sightseeing on your first day.  There will be 5 days of clinic, focusing on the Talibés children and pregnant women and a rest day in the middle.   You may schedule your departure for late evening/night on March 30 if you need to get home but we encourage you to stay a little longer in Africa. Your trip includes an overnight on the 30th at the team hotel to allow you to say goodbye, get packed, and rest up before your flight home on March 31.  Please see the “After the trip” section for some ideas to extend your trip!

What’s Included:  This trip includes lodging, transportation, translators, water, and all meals within the official dates of the trip.   Most clinic supplies and any special projects are covered by GFR but in 2027 your fee includes a $250 per person fee to cover the increased cost of medications and supplies.  This added cost will help us continue to supply our clinics with everything you need to provide excellent care.

What’s Not Included: Your international airfare, snacks and drinks other than water, vaccines, pre/post trip travel costs and expense, trip insurance, your visa (if required based on your country of citizenship)  and any post-trip adventures are not included in the cost of your trip.  Transportation from the airport to Mbour and Mbour to the airport is not included.  Taxis are available at the airport for a reasonable fare

Your international airfare, snacks and drinks other than water, vaccines, pre/post trip travel costs and expenses, trip insurance, your online e-visa (if required), and any post- trip adventures you wish to engage in while in Peru!

Cost: The cost of this trip is $1000.00 per person plus airfare.  You are responsible for purchasing airfare that meets the required arrival and departure times.  We always suggest giving yourself extra time for delayed or cancelled flights and that you purchase trip insurance from a reputable carrier.  This trip is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.  You or your donors will receive a tax receipt upon making your donation.

How is your cost calculated?:  At Global First Responder we strive to keep your costs low and our quality high.   We value your participation and willingness to volunteer your time and expertise. Everyone at Global First Responder is also a volunteer, donating their time to administrative tasks and paying their own way to participate in medical, dental, and construction missions around the world and here at home.  The fee you pay covers the actual cost of your expenses during the trip, including lodging, transportation, meals, and translator fees and expenses. In 2024, we are adding a $200 general fee to each volunteer cover the increased costs of medications and supplies so that we can continue to provide excellent care for our patients.   At GFR, no one is paid a salary and everyone is a passionate volunteer, doing our part to help drive our mission of “One Global World, One Global Family”.

After the trip: What is there to do in Senegal?  Well – Goree Island is “the Door of No Return” where slaves were taken by ship from Western Africa to the “New World”.  In true Senegalese spirit, the people of Senegal turned this sad place into an artist’s colony and a beautiful respite from city life.  You get there by ferry.  Take a day and go have fun – the art is amazing and for sale! You will find many guides waiting at the ferry to take you to the history museum, sand painters, and to tell you about the remarkable transformation of this island.

Lac Rose is also a day trip away.  It takes about 1.5 hours each way from Mbour.  You can see salt mines, swim in the salt water lake (the algae that makes the lake pink won’t hurt you), hang at a waterfront resort, ride a camel, catch a ride in a canoe, or simply eat great local food.

Have you dreamed of a safari!  Our in-country host can easily arrange this for you.  How about some beach time or some surfing?  Senegal boasts the most beautiful beaches in Africa.  In fact, you will be near the beach every day on this trip!  Finally, Senegal is the door to the rest of Africa.  Take a flight to Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, or more for safaris, culture, and everything you have dreamed Africa to be!  Africa is a big place – take a few days to see more of it!

Click here to apply for this trip:  I want to join the GFR team in Senegal!                                                                                                          

If this is your first time applying in our application system, please create a login and password. You may use this login and password for all future trips you apply for (and we hope to see you on LOTS of GFR trips!!)

Sample Itinerary:  THIS ITINERARY IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

May 22, Arrivals prior to the official start:    Plan to arrive in Blaise Diagne International Airport (airport code DSS) so that you can get some rest prior to the start of the trip. If you arrive prior to the official start date for the team, please plan on having meals and lodging “on your own”. You will be notified of the official start time on “Day 1”.  You will be able to overnight at the team hotel by your private arrangement.

May 23, Day 1: This is the official start of the GFR trip.  Plan on joining your team at the designated  location to meet with your team leader and team. Your team will spend the day getting to know each other, organizing supplies, and learning about the Talibés children and medical/dental system in Senegal.

May 24 – 25, Days 2-3: These are your first 2 days of clinic.  Your team will share the load as you pack the bus with our supplies and your personal gear before heading off to clinic.  Clinic may be held in a local Daara,  a public school, or a common meeting spot for the Talibés.  Lunch will be provided in clinic but the Senegalese eat late so plan on bringing a snack if you need to eat at regular times. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

May 26, Day 4: We will travel about 3 hours by bus to our next location.  In the afternoon we will see some of the important religious sites in this area.  Please dress appropriately!  Men: no shorts, no tee shirts.  Women: head covering, long skirt, covered arms and shoulders.   Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

May 27-28, Days 5-6:  We will continue to hold clinic for the next 2 days, traveling by bus with our translators and health educators, providing health care for 100-150 patients each day. After clinic we will return to our original hotel.  Plan on a late dinner or dinner on the road.  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

May 29, Day 7:  Today is our last day of clinic and our team dinner.  Tomorrow is your departure day but we hope you will stay to explore more of Senegal and the surrounding area.  If you need to leave on a late flight, that can be arranged.  The airport is about 45 minutes from this location.  

May 30, Day 8: : This is your departure day.  Your trip with GFR sadly ends after breakfast.  Your transfer to the airport is on your own. If you want to sleep in, schedule your flight home for later in the afternoon.  Extend your stay for a safari, a visit to Goree Island, or see another country in Africa!  Meals included: Breakfast is included and we will try to arrange some shared transports to the airport for you at your expense.  Thank you for coming to Senegal to help these children!