Video: Hosting a Blood Drive and Honoring Tostan Retirees in Thiès, Senegal

Previously, Alisa Hamilton, our communications assistant in Dakar, Senegal,  shared with you two photo essays: one on a Tostan blood drive and the other on a Tostan retirement ceremony. Both events took place on February 17th, 2012 at the Centre de Capacitation pour le Developpement Durable (CCDD) in Thiès, Senegal. Below is video Alisa made of that day:

Tostan Celebrates a Collective Fifty Years of Hard Work by Valued Tostan Retirees

Story by Alisa Hamilton, Tostan Communications Assistant, Dakar, Senegal

Earlier this year, Tostan celebrated its first retirement ceremony in Thiès, Senegal at the Training Center for Sustainable Development (Centre de Capacitation pour le Developpement Durable, CCDD). Four retirees received certificates and gifts from jovial and grateful members of the Tostan family.

The retirees represented two major regions of Senegal and included Abdoulaye Kandé, Regional Coordinator of Kolda from 1991 to 2011, Babacar Faye, Assistant at Tostan Thiès from 2003 to 2011, Alexadre Mané, Logistics Department Assistant at Tostan Thiès from 2001 to 2011, and Kaw Idy Sow, Security Guard at Tostan Thiès from 1995 to 2011. Djiby Sow, a driver for Tostan Thiès who retired in 2005, also received a certificate and gifts.

Influential Tostan Social Mobilization Agents Imam Demba Diawara of Keur Simbara, Ouréye Sall of N'gerigne Bambara and Doussou Konaté of Same N'diaye gave speeches on the important work of Tostan staff members. At the end of the ceremony, the attendees gathered for a group photograph and partook in delicious pastries and local juices provided by the CCDD. The celebration, one of many to come, was a great success.

View the pictures from the celebration below:
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In Thiès, Senegal, Tostan team members gathered for a special ceremony held in honor of several individuals who recently retired after years of service with Tostan.

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Kaaw Idy Sow, former guard at the Tostan office in Thiès, receives his certificate with a smile. Mr. Sow, 65, has worked at Tostan since 1991. He explained that Tostan was not a job to him but a family, and the office felt like his home. He thanked God for having been able to work until the age of 65 without any mistakes on the job. When asked what he would do with his newly acquired free time, Mr. Sow explained that he would continue to come to the office to visit his friends.  

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Babacar Faye (center, holding certificate), former Tostan Assistant, accepts his gifts and poses with Tostan Thiès team members. 

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Djiby Sow, a retiree and former driver for Tostan Thiès, gives a speech after receiving an honorary certificate.

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All participants of the retirement ceremony gather for a Tostan family photo outside the CCDD.

Tostan Hosts a Much-Needed Blood Drive in Thiès, Senegal

Story by Alisa Hamilton, Tostan Communications Assistant, Dakar, Senegal

In Senegal, only .25% of the population regularly donates blood compared to the average 2% of donors in other countries. As a result, the National Blood Drive Center in Senegal consistently experiences blood supply shortages, therefore limiting the number of essential blood transfusions that can be performed. Blood banks, like the one in Thiès, Senegal, rely primarily on word of mouth to mobilize potential donors in the community.

On Friday, February 17, Tostan team members rallied their social networks and hosted a blood drive at Tostan’s Training Center for Sustainable Development (Centre de Capacitation pour le Developpement Durable, CCDD) in Thiès, Senegal. On that day, 50 community members and Tostan employees made the decision to help save lives by donating their blood.  

Check out pictures from the blood drive below:

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Aminata Saho, a Tostan team member at the CCDD, has her blood pressure taken. She and her friend and colleague, Ndiaye Aminata Puit, learned about the blood drive that day and both decided to donate for the first time.

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Ardo Fall, Director of the CCDD, watches as his donation bag fills. He has given blood for four years and often travels to the hospital to give for emergency cases. When asked why he gives blood, Ardo responded, “Because it saves lives. It’s something that I respect because some day, it might be me who needs it.”

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Smiling, Aminata stays calm during her first blood donation. She shared that she wanted to donate because giving blood can help people who are sick, such as her mother who recently received a blood transfusion. 

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Khady Diato Sall, the donation organizer at the blood bank in Thiès, Senegal has given blood over 50 times. “[Donating blood] is a civic act,” Khady explained. “Many people don’t do it because they are afraid or they think it won’t help. But every day the hospital calls us for donations. It saves lives.”

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Ousamane Cisso used to be afraid to give blood, but has since overcome his fear and encouraged many of his friends to donate as well. His mother works for the blood bank, and Ousamane and many of his relatives came to the CCDD to donate on the day of the blood drive.

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Mohamed Sall (far left), Ousamane Cisso’s cousin, came to give blood for the first time. He used to be afraid of needles, but Ousamane encouraged him to overcome his fear. “I know the hospitals suffer from a lack of blood. I wanted to help people because it can save a life,” explained Mohamed. Here he poses with his friends.

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The Cisso family after giving blood. From left to right: Ismael Cisso, Allasane Cisso, Mamie Cisso, Aliou Cisso, Boubacar Cisso.

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Ndiaye Aminata Puit (right) poses with her friend, Sorde, after donating for the first time. 

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Khady Guèye (left), Treasurer of the Federation of Community Management Committees (CMC) in the region of Thiès, and Khady Mbaye Ka (right), President of the Thiès CMC Federationalso gave blood for the first time. Khady Mbaye explained, “Giving blood is a noble act. A way to manufacture blood has not yet been invented so we will always need donations.” She continued that many women, including one of her sisters, need blood transfusions during childbirth due to haemorrhaging.