"It's Never Too Late" photos: Leonardo Greco In Senegal, hot on the trail of non-formal education, dedicated to those who never attended school or left it too early. Literacy courses and professional practice to protect the weaker classes - and the future of the entire country.

1. !
SENEGAL
!
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

2. SENEGAL
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE
PHOTOGRAPHY: LEONARDO GRECO COPY: CHIARA PEZZALI
!
SENEGAL, A COUNTRY OF CONTRASTS, EVEN REGARDING SCHOOL AND EDUCATION: 40% OF THE PUBLIC BUDGET
IS ALLOCATED TO EDUCATION, BUT 60% OF THE POPULATION IS ILLITERATE. THERE ARE THOSE WHO LEFT
SCHOOL TO WORK AND THOSE WHO NEVER ATTENDED, MOSTLY WOMEN AND RESIDENTS IN RURAL AREAS.
BUT EDUCATION AND LITERACY ARE NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR SOCIAL PROGRESS, DEMOCRATIC AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT: AT CNRE (CENTRE NATIONAL DES RESSOURCES EDUCATIONNELLES) - A HANDFUL OF BRAVES
ARMED WITH GREAT PASSION AND FEW RESOURCES AND LED BY MR. SIDY SAME, THEY KNOW IT VERY WELL.
THEY COORDINATE THE LIMITED MEANS AVAILABLE TO RECOVER “DROPPED-OUT-STUDENTS” AND ILLITERATES IN
A SMART AND EFFECTIVE WAY: TEACHING AN HANDCRAFT ALONG WITH THE BASICS NEEDED TO RUN THEIR OWN
BUSINESS AFTER THE COURSE, ESPECIALLY BASIC ACCOUNTING AND READING.
TO MAKE THINGS MORE COMPLICATED, EVEN CHOOSING THE RIGHT LANGUAGE IS NOT EASY: COLONIAL FRENCH,
RELIGIOUS ARABIC OR ONE OF THE 27 NATIONAL IDIOMS?
AT CNRE ARE NOT PUT OFF BY THE FEW MEANS, LARGE DISTANCES AND IDIOMATIC DIFFERENCES.
BECAUSE NO ONE SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND. AND IT IS NEVER TOO LATE.

3. ALTHOUGH FRENCH IS THE INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE,
27 NATIONAL IDIOMS ARE SPOKEN IN SENEGAL.
ARABIC IS TAUGHT IN ISLAMIC SCHOOLS

4. SIDY SAME, DIRECTOR OF CNRE, IN HIS OFFICE.
THE AIM OF HIS TEAM IS TO BRING EDUCATION AND
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING TO ILLITERATES
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

5. TEACHING IS NOT ONLY A MATTER OF READING AND WRITING:
AN HOLISTIC APPROACH TO EDUCATION IS NECESSARY
TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT

6. A WOLOF-CLASS IN MALIKA.
WOLOF IS THE THE MOST WIDELY SPOKEN LANGUAGE
IN SENEGAL, BY ABOUT 40% OF THE POPULATION

7. CRAFTING ALUMINIUM DOORFRAMES AND HANDRAILS:
AFTER THE LESSONS, STUDENTS GO TO LOCAL WORKSHOPS
AND LEARN A PROFESSION

8. HAIRDRESSERS, BLACKSMITHS, TAILORS:
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE BUSINESS ROLES
HIGHLY REQUESTED BY THE LOCAL ECONOMY

9. RACKY FALL, 54 YEARS OLD, FACILITATOR.
SHE SUPPORTS THE TEACHERS IN HER CLASS
AND GRANTS CONTINUITY IN THE LEARNING PATH

10. A BALANCE SHEET STARTS FROM COUNTING TO 10.
STUDENTS REACHED BY CNRE ARE FROM 15 TO 60 YEARS OLD
AND USE THEIR NEW EXPERTISE IN EVERYDAY DEALS

11. A WORKSHOP AFTER THE LESSON IN JOAL-FADIOUTH,
WHERE WOMEN LEARN HOW TO MAKE SOAP

12. CHILDREN WAITING FOR THEIR MOTHERS
TO FINISH THE LESSONS

13. THE BARS OF SOAP PRODUCED BY THE STUDENTS
ARE NOW READY TO BE SOLD AT THE VILLAGE