Before the year 2000:  a couple of Senegalese friends came together once in a while to celebrate Senegalese festivities. These Senegalese originated from the cities of Gent, Leuven and Kortrijk and they met to enjoy a typical Senegalese atmosphere: around a glass of traditional tea, "ataya", they discussed all kinds of issues: Senegalese politics, football, the live at home, in the villages and the neighbourhoods, ...all of this being very nostalgic.

In the winter of the year 2000 the idea was growing to establish a Senegalese association.
And indeed, in the summer of the year 2000 Senegal Bantamba was set up by a group of Senegalo-Belgian couples, mainly from Gent, Leuven and Kortrijk.

In 2003 the association was slightly changed internally: the Board of Directors was re-organised, the general objectives were redefined - now especially aimed at integration. The head office also moved to the city of Gent.

“Bantamba" is a word from Mandinque, a language spoken in West Africa and also in the south of Senegal. Bantamba means "a tree where one palavers", which, in certain African cultures, refers to a meeting place where people can communicate, where they can listen to each other, where they can settle conflicts and where they can discuss important matters. 

Our objectives

In short, these are the aims of our association: to stimulate the mutual knowledge and understanding between Belgians and Senegalese, by means of cultural and educational activities, and to support the development of north-south interaction

Senegal Bantamba is an independent and pluralistic association where two specific ideas take a central position: integtration and solidarity. This refers to the integration of Senegalese people in Flemish and Belgian society, and to solidarity amongst Senegalese and between Senegalese and Belgians.

Our activities and working methods  

In order to achieve these objectives, Senegal Bantamba mainly tries to unite people, through: :

• Excursions
  • an annual guided visit to a Belgian city
• Intercultural activities
  •  each year we organise a Senegalese party and our festival Little Africa
• Sports activities
  • bike trips and football competitions, ...
• Information & sensibilising
  • providing information about Senegal at socio-cultural manifestations [for instance Africa Matters] 
• Workshops
  • introduction into Senegalese culture by giving initiation in Wolof (national language of Senegal), cooking and music from Senegal
• Services
  • we give pratical information to our members, for instance on an administrative level
• Networking
  • by closely cooperating with organisations that aim for an open and pluralistic Flemish society, or with associations that work in Senegal, on the level of emancipation or socio-economic development.

The people  

Senegal Bantamba is an association where everybody feels at home: Belgians and Senegalese form the main part of our members, but there are also people from Mauretania or the Gambia. The majority of our members are well integrated in Belgian society.

Some of our active members (from left to right):
Leen, Sylvia, Adama, Caroline, Pathé, Bienvenu with Thias, Arame, Justin, Kalifa, Adia, Pape Malick, Djiby, Arona, Lucy, Ramata, Derrick, Thierry-Marius and Zaïna 
 

Our structure

Within the Board of Directors, the following functions are held:

• President
  • Kalifa
• Vice-president
  • Adama Cissé
• Secretary
  • Marleen
• Traesurer
  • Annelies

In order to work efficiently, we have created a number of working groups in our association:

• Working group Festivities

  • Kalifa, Pape Malick, Djiby, Caroline, Arona, Marleen, Adama Cissé, Aïda, Khady, Ousmane

• Working group Sports

  • Djiby, Bienvenu, Mamadou Mbaye, Arona

• Working group Excursions

  • Arona, Annelies, Aïda, Kalifa

• Working group Danse initiation

  • Caroline, Annelies, Aïda, Tineke

• Working group New Year's Eve/kitchen team

  • Khady, Arame, Marleen

• Working group cultural Celebrations

  • Arona, Kalifa, Adama Cissé, Djiby