Senegal

In Senegal, FHI 360 strengthens the capacity of individuals, institutions and organizations to improve access to health care, family planning, inclusive education, nutrition and environmentally sustainable livelihoods.   

Since the early 1990s, FHI 360 has partnered with the Ministry of Health, National AIDS Council and other agencies to strengthen interventions for HIV prevention. Today, FHI 360 continues to build partnerships with the government of Senegal and local nongovernmental organizations to address HIV, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections, as well as reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV or AIDS.   

FHI 360 also has a long history of improving the availability of safe and affordable contraceptive methods in Senegal. In the 1980s, we facilitated the introduction of hormonal implants through feasibility and acceptability studies and, more recently, Depo-Provera in a subcutaneous injection device (Uniject). Since then, we’ve mobilized this research to improve contraceptive prevalence, and we’ve collaborated with the Ministry of Health to coordinate and monitor Senegal’s national plan for family planning.   

In 2003, we expanded our programs beyond HIV and family planning to include projects that improve the quality and relevance of education, especially for girls and children with disabilities, so all young people in Senegal have the opportunities they need to create their own paths and shape their own futures. Our approaches are evidence-based, built on best practices in conflict-sensitive and inclusive education, gender equality, social inclusion, and positive youth development. In partnership with the Ministry of Education, community leaders and Senegalese youth, we have helped establish flexible pathways into the formal education system and vocational training, strengthened children’s transition to secondary school, and supported families and communities to recognize their voice in and ownership of local education services.  

To address emerging nutrition challenges, FHI 360 is also working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to increase the availability, quality, comparability and use of reliable nutrition data and metrics through national and large-scale dietary surveys.   

We also support environmentally sustainable livelihoods in Senegal’s artisanal fishing sector by using digital solutions and wireless technology to enhance access to market information, microfinance, mobile money services, weather forecasts and navigation resources. These efforts increase fishers’ income, ensure fishers’ safety, prevent overfishing and reduce harm to sea life.