NDANK-NDANK MOOY JAPP GOLO CI NAAY
The title is a Wolof saying that literally means, “little by little one catches the monkey in the bush,” which is another way of saying that “things take time.” “Ndank-ndank” is a very Senegalese notion of time, where rushing is not known, and everything follows its own pace and progression. There is no thought of “making things happen” or “forcing the issue” as we sometimes do in much of the Western world.
“Ndank-ndank” as a philosophy is also applicable to the formation of a stable and sustainable organization. Friends of Gueoul has been around since 2005, and in that time we have saved many poor young girls from illiteracy and the cycle of poverty ignorance can perpetuate. We have also set up a computer classroom from used laptops which has allowed villagers access to the world. Ten years ago, Gueoul barely had a phone line. Now, the students we sponsor and the community around them have previously-untold educational enrichment available at their fingertips. The ripple effects in the village of Gueoul will be felt for generations. None of this happened overnight, but through sustained effort.
Ndank-ndank, like the Japanese idea of Kaizen, involves continuous, small, incremental changes. By taking small steps, we are slowly leveling the playing field for the group least likely to receive the benefit of even an elementary education – impoverished girls. The stakes are higher for these girls, since they are more likely to be subjected to early marriage (age 12 is about average), sold into service as a domestic, or sold into the sex trade. Education for these girls can and has kept them from these awful fates. Ndank-ndank – we are helping to keep these girls in school, and keeping them from some of the unsavory alternatives.