In the Medina Baye district of Kaffrine, the day dedicated to talibé children began with a powerful symbolic moment: a hike organized especially for them. Coming from several localities in the department, they walked together before reaching the site of the official activities, conveying through this initiative a clear message of awareness about their living conditions and their future.

This march set the tone for a day dedicated to listening, dialogue, and advocacy. Alongside Quranic teachers, administrative authorities, and technical partners, the children expressed their concerns, but also their expectations for better learning and living conditions.

Speaking at the event, the national director of SOS Children's Villages Senegal, Papa Daouda Diop, emphasized that this day is first and foremost a platform for the talibé children themselves to express their views: “We celebrated this day by addressing the concerns raised directly by the talibés. These concerns were relayed to the relevant authorities, who responded attentively. Several needs identified during these discussions have already begun to be addressed.”

According to him, this collective mobilization is a source of satisfaction for all the actors involved: "It is a day of celebration, but also of satisfaction. Nothing would have been possible without the commitment of the authorities, the communities and especially the leaders of the daara, both at the central and local levels."

The national director also emphasized that the actions undertaken are aligned with the state's strategic priorities for child protection and the improvement of Quranic education. Within this framework, nearly 1,500 talibé children have already benefited from support aimed at improving their living conditions and educational guidance. Around thirty of them have even completed vocational training, enabling them to gradually integrate into the workforce.

Another significant development is the establishment of bridging classes, designed to reinforce French language learning alongside the Koranic instruction received in the daaras. For Papa Daouda Diop, the situation of the talibé children must be addressed with a comprehensive and tailored approach: “We must understand the root causes of their situation. The goal is to improve their living conditions, meet their basic needs, and strengthen the teaching capacity at the daara level.”

Representing the prefect of Kaffrine, the deputy sub-prefect of Katakel, Omar Diémé, invited the "serigne daaras" (religious teachers) to engage more closely with the relevant departmental services, particularly regarding their integration into the education system. He also announced upcoming consultations at various territorial levels (municipalities, districts, and the department) to better address the concerns of those involved in Quranic education.

Speaking on behalf of the talibé children, their spokesperson made several demands, particularly regarding hygiene, education, and participation in decisions concerning them: "We demand better sanitary and educational conditions. We also wish to be more involved in the bodies where decisions concerning our future are made."

Through hiking, direct exchanges, and voiced advocacy, this day in Medina Baye strengthened the dialogue between authorities, partners, Quranic teachers, and talibé children. This collective mobilization was welcomed by the participants, who expressed their hope for continued concrete actions to sustainably improve their living and learning conditions.