Explore Africa

Senegal

Our work in Senegal focuses on areas of overlap between our expertise and the government?s priorities under the country?s 2025–2029 national development strategy and the Senegal 2050 vision.

Dr. Marie-Angélique Sène, Head of Advanced Vaccine Bioprocessing at the Institut Pasteur, prepares for a visit in Dakar, Senegal.

At a glance

  • We support Senegal?s efforts to achieve health sovereignty by investing in local vaccine development and production capabilities and local immunization programs.
  • We support the development and delivery of agricultural innovations that boost the yields of Senegal?s small-scale farmers, build climate resilience, and improve nutrition, and we promote rural women?s empowerment.
  • We work to expand access to family planning, reduce maternal and child mortality, improve nutrition programs, and strengthen women?s health care systems, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
  • We support initiatives that promote inclusive water and sanitation solutions, strengthen service delivery, and improve governance.
  • We invest in inclusive growth, sustainable progress, and human capital through efforts to improve education, advance gender equity, and promote digital innovation.

Overview

In partnership with the national government, local organizations, and other stakeholders, we support Senegal?s key development priorities, including health sovereignty, agricultural productivity, climate resilience, nutrition, family planning, maternal and child health, water and sanitation, education, and gender equity.

Outcomes of these collective efforts since 2009 include:

  • A drop in under-5 child mortality from 139 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 31 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023
  • Improved sanitation reaching 77% of Senegalese people
  • Adult literacy more than doubling since 1988, to 57%

Senegal?s successes not only improve the lives of millions of Senegalese people, but they also inform policies and programs that unlock progress in neighboring West and Central African countries.

Yaye Helene Ndiaye, founder and director of KITAMBAA, discusses women?s health in Dakar, Senegal.
Yaye Helene Ndiaye (right) founded and leads Dakar-based KITAMBAA, a nonprofit organization that provides low-income families with competitively priced, washable sanitary pads and menstruation kits.

The latest updates on our work in Senegal

Teaching kids in their national languages is transforming classrooms in Senegal

Senegal?s bilingual education model is helping children learn to read earlier and thrive in school.

How Marie-Angélique Sène is empowering Africa’s vaccine future

Meet the woman leading vaccine innovation in Senegal to fight Rift Valley fever and empower Africa?s next generation of scientists.

Three immunization advocates share why Gavi matters

Nearly 25 years after its founding, the global vaccine alliance has helped immunize more than 1 billion children.

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More about our work in Africa

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We partner across Africa from our headquarters in San Francisco, CA 94107 USA?working with governments, local organizations, and implementers on the ground.

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