Empowering grandmothers for children's education

In 2025, we planned our Holiday Activities on Values and Citizenship, with a renewed focus on empowering grandmothers as key advocates for girls’ education and leadership within their families and communities. These activities created a supportive, intergenerational learning environment where children, mainly girls could sprout, learn, and thrive under the guidance and encouragement of trusted elder women.

In rural neighborhoods in Senegal, school holidays usually coincide with increased agricultural labor and domestic responsibilities, particularly for girls. This reality frequently limits their access to learning and personal development opportunities. With this year holydays activities, we were endowed to provide safe and inclusive spaces where girls could appreciate their holidays while continuing to learn about peace, social responsibility, cohesion, and traditional values. Grandmothers played a central role in reinforcing these messages, encouraging girls to remain engaged in education and to envision themselves as future leaders.

Consequently, we strengthened the program by improving instructive effect and providing targeted training for youth facilitators and grandmother leaders. This capacity-building approach ensured that activities were culturally grounded and aligned with community values, while also equipping grandmothers with tools to mentor girls, promote school attendance, and challenge harmful social norms that hinder girls’ education.

The children and youth of the following four villages were involved in this year program: Némataba, Kandia, Saré Coly Sallé, and Vélingara. Girls participated in group discussions, role-playing, and community-based learning activities, often facilitated or supported by grandmothers. These intergenerational exchanges strengthened girls’ communication skills, self-confidence, and social responsibility, while reinforcing grandmothers’ leadership and influence as champions of education.

Grandmother Project – Change Through Culture is impacting lives and strengthening entire communities by empowering grandmothers to nurture and protect the educational futures of the next generation of girls.

Happy New Year! Best wishes for 2026 from Grandmother Project team.