KDF is a tax-exempt 501c3 not for profit organization founded in Boston, Massachusetts, USA by natives of Kolda, Senegal. KDF promotes citizen participation, self-empowerment, social and environmental justice, economic inclusion and gender equality. KDF started out with a few volunteers, but has since grown and now has hundreds of members in the United States, Canada, Europe, and in Africa, particularly Senegal.
Kolda region is the poorest region of Senegal according to the latest survey in 2011, with an estimated poverty incidence of 77.5%. The number of young people of working age (18 to 35 years old) makes up more than half of the population. Yet, Kolda has the second highest declared unemployment rate in Senegal (38.8%), far behind the national average of 25.7%.
The primary goal of KDF is to defeat poverty and social injustice by empowering vulnerable and marginalized people, and working collaboratively with all key stakeholders to address the root causes of educational, health, environmental and workforce development issues in Kolda. KDF works to achieve evidenced-based, measurable, realistic, sustainable, and uplifting human development outcomes throughout our programs and projects.
KDF est une federation d’ONGs et d’organisations ‘a but non lucratif creees par des natifs de Kolda etablis aux Etats-Unis, au Canada, en Europe, au Senegal et en Afrique pour contribuer au developpement durable de leur region dans son ensemble.
KDF uses your donations to develop and implement sustainable human development programs. KDF saves lives and empowers vulnerable and marginalized people in Kolda, Senegal by combatting the root causes of poverty, injustice and bad governance. We partner with concerned people and organizations to advocate for and equip people with the necessary tools to individually and collective take care of their lives.
Find out more about how KDF works hard to ensure that your donations are delivered directly to those that need it most.
The original idea of establishing KDF was born out of an observation of remarkable poverty and social injustice. 77.5% of the Kolda populace are classified as poor. This abject state of poverty has dramatic consequences for the most vulnerable and marginalized segment of the populace, mainly women, children, and youths, more than 80% of whom are under 30 years old. Kolda is plagued by health and education disparities, malnutrition and food insecurity, high maternal and infant mortality, premature marriages, high rate of youth unemployment, school dropouts, and environmental degradation.
The founders’ memories of Kolda are assorted with cultural and linguistic intermingling, fellowship, friendship and spontaneous fraternity emanating from sporting and cultural events. They also share painful experiences often resulting from the premature death of a loved one due to poverty and inadequate health care services. The growing membership is attributable to the collective commitment to changing the narrative about their region by developing an inclusive approach to socio-economic development.
Our credibility is based on our diversity and understanding of the languages and cultures of the region, Africa and the world. Our governance and development model is based on research and innovation. KDF’s priority sectors are education, health, environment and entrepreneurship in a spirit of equity and equality. The founders of KDF have acquired quality academic education complemented by experiences in charitable, health and educational activities, and within international organizations. They share a common vision and commitment which they have molded into a model of endogenous development organization.
Kolda represents an intersection under increasing demographic pressure. Furthermore, its vital workforce, due to lack of decent professional opportunities, has been heading for perilous migratory itineraries and an uncertain future. In a nutshell, KDF’s ambition is to jointly build a better future for both Kolda and its diaspora in order to meet the social, economic and cultural challenges of the region and beyond.
[1] Per Agence National de la Démographie et de la Statistique du Senegal
