MAISON DE LA GARE'S TEAM
Issa Kouyaté: President
Maison de la Gare grew from Issa's vision for improving the lives of the talibé street children. Following studies in Business Management and Social Sciences at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Issa worked in several different positions before starting Maison de la Gare with several friends in 2007. As president, he provides overall leadership for the organisation and manages internal operations and external relationships.
Tel.: 221 77 534 06 60
Thiéck Aw: Street Child Educator
Thiéck has a degree in social work from the National School of Specialized Social Workers (ENTSS) and has had extensive experience working with disadvantaged children in Dakar, Mbour and Saint Louis. She works with the children in Maison de la Gare's emergency shelter, preparing their dossiers and supporting them as they are reintegrated into their daaras or returned to their home communities.
Malick Bâ: Street Child Educator and Night Watchman
An accomplished writer and poet, Malick is currently studying law at Gaston Berger University in Saint Louis. He works with the children in Maison de la Gare's emergency shelter, supporting them and watching over them during the night shifts.
Ndeye Diodio Calloga: Project Coordinator and Child Protection Officer
With a masters degree in law, Diodio coordinates our four-year project with the European Unions. She is also our key contact for relationships with governmental and other organizations responsible for child protection.
Tel.: 221 77 661 95 31
Aminata Koné Camara: Administrator
Holding a diploma as Advanced Techician in Tourism, Aminata has worked in responsible positions with an number of Saint Louis busnesses. As Maison de la Gare's administrator, she is the point of contact and coordination for all of the organisations activities.
Tel.: 221 33 961 75 42
Noël Coly: Activities Manager
Noël has a degree in Information Technology. He is responsible for tracking and recording the arrivals and departures of children in Maison de la Gare's center and their participation in the center's activities, supporting them in these activities in every way that he can.
Awa Diallo: Nurse
A graduate in health and hygiene, Awa worked in nursing care and emergency care for different organizations in Saint Louis. She provides medical care and hygiene support to the talibé children, both in Maison de la Gare’s center and in the daaras.
Adama Diarra: Street Child Educator
Holding a degree in Modern Literature from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Adama works with the children in Maison de la Gare's emergency shelter, preparing their dossiers and supporting them as they are reintegrated into their daaras or returned to their home communities.
Aïda Dieng: Teacher
Before joining Maison de la Gare, Aïda worked for six years as a teacher and animator with Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie. She holds diplomas in computer skills and marketing. Aïda is responsible for literacy classes for the intermediate-level classes at Maison de la Gare's center.
Binetou Dièye: Accountant
An experienced accountant, Binetou joined Maison de la Gare at the beginning of 2016. We have made major improvements in our financial procedures with her guidance.
Tel.: 221 77 577 59 88
Baye Ndaraw Diop: Coordinator
Formerly the director of the government agency responsible for vulnerable children in Saint Louis, Ndaraw leads the team charged with finding children living on the streets, taking them into care, reintegrating them into their daaras or their home communities, and following up on them.
Tel.: 221 77 613 76 23
Anta Mbaye: Nurse
Anta has a diploma in Community Health,
and has experience working in pediatrics and pharmacies. She is responsible
for the infirmary in Maison de la Gare's Saint Louis center, and for organizing medical
care and hygiene training for talibé children involved in the center's programs.
Bouri Cherif Mbodj: Teacher
Having served as a teacher for talibé childen for four years with Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie, Bouri comes to Maison de la Gare with a strong understanding of these children and the best approaches for teaching them. She is teaching the senior talibé students in Maison de la Gare's classrooms.
Samba (Bathe) Ndong: Activities Manager
Trained as a plumber, Samba supports the daily operations of the center. In addition, he participates in the investigations of runaway children and, when required, assists children in returning to their families, often in remote communities.
Oumou Samb: Cook
A native of Saint Louis, Oumou holds an elementary school graduation diploma as well as a tailoring certificate. Building on her extensive exprience as a cook for a numer of Saint Louis businesses, she prepares meals for the children living in the emergency shelter and nutritious snacks for the participants in the center's programs.
Abdourahmane Soumaré: Teacher
Abdou has a diploma in information technology and experience with teaching young children. He is responsible for teaching basic literacy to the youngest children in Maison de la Gare's center, including those who do not know at all how to read, giving them the opportunity to take full advantage of their right to an education.
Abou Sy: Street Child Educator
Following several years experience as a child protection worker with Action Femme Enfants, Abou has joined the talibé support team in Maison de la Gare’s center. He also assists in the night rounds, finding talibé children sleeping on the streets.
Talibé Staff Members
Several older talibés have accepted positions of responsability on Maison de la Gare's staff:
Issa Bâ
Maintenance and Hygiene Assistant
Originally from Kolda in the south of Senegal, Issa has grown up with Maison de la Gare. He is becoming more and more involved in leadership, including taking responsability for cleanliness of the emergency shelter and helping the younger talibé children with washing their clothes and other hygiene measures.
Kalidou Baldé
Sports Organizer and English Instructor
Kalidou attended the first literacy classes offered in the old railway station in 2008. He is one of the talibés who has succeeded in building a successful life blending the obligations of his daara with education at the center.
Samba Diao
Sports Organizer and Hairdresser
Samba also grew up with Maison de la Gare, a leader from the beginning. He takes care of the hairdressing of talibés children, a very important task for their health and hygiene. He hopes one day to open his own hairdressing salon.
Arouna Kandé
Administrative Assistant
Arouna came to Saint Louis from Kolda in the south of Senegal in 2006. He is currently in secondary school and intends at any price to complete his education. Arouna is a model and an inspiration for the younger talilbés.
Mamadou Kandé
Leader of Agricultural Apprenticeship Program
Also from Kolda, Mamadou came to Maison de la Gare in 2012 and quickly found his natural passion and talent for gardening. He has been the driving force behind the expansion and flourishing of the garden in Maison de la Gare's center.
Souleymane Ndiaye
Health Care and Hygiene Aide
Souleymane has played a key role in putting in place the program of regular tooth brushing for the talibé children, and in the awareness campaign that is underway to educate the young talibé children who often have dental problems.
Long-Term Volunteers
Long-term volunteers, Senegalese and international, have made crucial contributions to Maison de la Gare's development since its beginnings. Those currently involved include:
Abibou Dièye Fall
Nurse and community health worker
Abibou has worked as a nurse for the health district of Saint Louis and an aide at the Rosso health centre, as well as medications consultant for the Mbagame pharmacy. He also participated in vaccination awareness campaigns.
Mouhamadou (Modou) Samb
Safety and follow-up of vulnerable
children in emergency shelter
A graduate in audiovisual arts, Modou is a director and editor and has worked with Vision Star and Vision Pro. As a volunteer at the old train station from 2007 to 2009, Modou contributed to Maison de la Gare's early development.
Irene Sanchez
Teacher in MDG's center
A biologist holding a master's degree in international cooperation, Irene served as a volunteer science teacher in Spain for migrants arriving from Morocco. She also works with hahatay.org, an organization that advocates in support of local development in Gandiol, a village near Saint Louis.
Lala Sène
Professional Soccer Player and Coach
A member of Senegal's national woman's soccer team, Lala organizes soccer tournaments for the talibé children every Thursday evening, coaching them to improve their skills. She also works with the children at the center whenever she is available.