Produce for the kiosk
Senegal continues to grapple with significant barriers to education, employment, and economic independence, particularly for young women in rural areas. Young women, especially in rural and coastal regions like Joal, face multiple socio-economic and structural challenges that limit their access to education, formal employment, and income-generating opportunities.
While primary school education is mandatory, many young girls still face barriers to completing their education, especially in rural areas. The gross enrollment ratio for girls in secondary education, is 51% compared to 58% of boys (World Bank, 2019). Early marriage, family obligations, and financial constraints often prevent girls from progressing to secondary school or beyond, which limits their future prospects.
A significant portion of the labor force, especially in rural regions, is engaged in informal or precarious employment. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 70% of women in Senegal work in the informal sector, where job security, stable wages, and benefits are often lacking. This includes work in agriculture, domestic labor, and small informal businesses, where wages are typically low, and working conditions are unregulated.
Approximately 46% of women in Senegal live below the national poverty line, and this rate is even higher in rural areas. In these regions, where formal jobs are scarce, many women rely on informal and subsistence-based work, often without legal protections or stable income. This economic vulnerability is compounded by the lack of access to credit, land, and other resources, making it extremely difficult for women to break free from the cycle of poverty.
In towns like Joal, where fishing has been the cornerstone of the local economy, the ongoing crisis in the fishing sector has exacerbated the economic struggles of local communities, particularly women. The depletion of fish stocks due to industrial overfishing threatens the livelihoods of many families who rely on the sea for income.
Industrial overfishing by foreign companies, particularly from Europe (Spain, France), Asia (China, South Korea), and other African nations, has severely depleted Senegal’s fish stocks. According to the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), foreign fleets are responsible for over 50% of the total fish catch in Senegal, much of which is exported. This exploitation has left local, small-scale fishermen with significantly fewer resources to catch fish, diminishing their income and food security.
Joal, historically a fishing town, has seen a 30-40% decrease in fish catches over the past decade. This has led to widespread unemployment in the fishing sector, especially for women involved in fish processing and market sales. With fewer fish available to process, many women who relied on this industry for their livelihoods have been forced to find alternative means of income, but without the necessary skills or opportunities, their options are limited.
As the fishing sector continues to decline, many families are left without a stable income source. This has intensified the poverty rate in Joal and surrounding areas, where the local economy remains dependent on increasingly unstable fishing income.
L2H is financing a kiosk at the Assunta Training Center to commercialize the products young women training at the Assunta Center in Joal produce while learning their trade. This will provide them with some income while studying. By learning skills in areas such as sewing, pastry-making, and cooking, these women will not only be able to earn money through the sale of their products, but they will also be equipped with skills that will help them achieve long-term financial independence.
The kiosk will allow young women to sell the goods they create (at first pastries, and meals), providing them with an immediate income stream. This will help reduce their financial dependence on family members, particularly in a region where many households struggle to make ends meet. In an environment of precarious employment and informal work, having alternative sources of income is crucial for their empowerment and well-being.
Beyond individual benefits, the kiosk will also have a positive impact on the broader community in Joal. By diversifying the local economy and providing a platform for women to sell their products, the kiosk can help reduce the region’s reliance on the declining fishing sector. It will also serve as a model for other communities, demonstrating the potential for skill-based economic diversification.
