The scarce job opportunities provided by the local economy force many young Senegalese people to emigrate in search of better life conditions abroad.

The trend gets easily encouraged by the successful witnessings of acquaintances, friends and relatives; unfortunately, such “journeys of hope” often turn out to be utopian, as highlighted by the recent media reports narrating stories of migrants taken hostage in Libya, enslaved and then sold to the highest bidder.

COOPI means to provide real occupational opportunities to the young Senegalese in their own country, especially to those without a job and the returning migrants. In Kothary, a new cattle-breeding farm will make it possible to employ 300 beneficiaries to build sheds, haylofts, feed stocks, but also for the purchase, breeding and maintenance of animals.

An equal number of jobs is estimated for the creation of a horticulture in Dialacoto and the related setup of an irrigation system, the purchase of farming tools and the training of farmer leaders on animal and fodder production techniques. Moreover, members of the Economic Interest Group will be trained in project management and provided with technical assistance and monitoring, so that beneficiaries can become operatively indipendent in the long term.