For a country that has little more than twelve million people, Senegal has pretty much known artists. Even the first president Leopold Sedar Senghor was Poet and member of the Paris Académie Française, and today provide musicians, sculptors and writers of international reputation - or if you have never heard of such as singer Youssou N'Dour, sculptor Ousmane Sow or writer Ken Bugul? A less famöse became famous the country because of the Senegalese people who venture in small boats called pirogues the dangerous crossing of the Atlantic to emigrate to Europe. On 4 Senegal April 2010 celebrated its 50th Birthday.
Like other French colonies, the West African country to independence in 1960. Then 40 years there many socialists, first with President Senghor, Abdou Diouf then. Since 2000 Abdoulaye the hitherto best-known opposition figures Wade assumed the helm. On the 50th Independence anniversary was in the capital Dakar inaugurated the new emblem, the "Monument to the African Renaissance". Martina Zimmermann takes you to Dakar.
The new landmark of Dakar is a highly visible, 50-foot bronze statue, higher than the Statue of Liberty in New York. It shows a man carrying a child on her left arm, the right he holds a woman. Whether they are the president and his wife, joked the people.
The visit to the landmark admission will cost, and the 84 year-old president wants an author and inventor the construction of a third of the revenue collect. The statue has cost 20 million euros.
If "built roads in the rear of Busch, that would be good. Then could drive people directly to the hospital. But the hospitals are poorly equipped and hard to reach. And not only in the bush, the situation is bad, the suburbs are for one year under water! There are more important than building statues or the highway to the airport. "
Sun mocks Dino Gudjabi. The 31 year old sold in a boutique in Dakar, the Street Senegalese rappers. The president is given his gigantic building mania called "Pharaoh Wade. Ring road, new airport ... to relieve Dakar, Wade would even a new political capital, 120 kilometers northeast of stomping the ground. In Dakar streets are built, hotels and residential villas on the coast road, rising property prices.
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addition to new jeeps and limousines, many old vehicles tormented by roads with potholes. The buses are crowded with pretty bright colors, painted the words "Alhamdulilah" states who have to thank the passengers when they arrive safely to your destination: Thank God!
Ambulatory vendors sell phone cards to all pots, might need the modern man. Taxi driver Boubakar Diallo is a retired police officer. His taxi to bring him an additional merit:
. "The body is old, but the institutions are all in order, I bought two months ago a new engine and new shock absorbers only the sheet must be repaired yet.."
Boubakar Diallo is fighting in numerous construction sites over the endless traffic jams in the Senegalese capital.
front of a house in an unpaved street says Eugenie Fonsecca two men as they bring the generator going. Everything is dark, nothing works in the kitchen of her small restaurant: There is already Power failure. This comes a day vor.Dennoch defy the Senegalese numerous adversities of daily life usually with humor. Eugenie's Restaurant has re-light. A year ago the woman had about 40 a boutique place to transition to a tailor shop and..
"Decorative is for those who become secondary You have nothing to eat, to pay water and electricity and the rent is hard to to afford extras. reduce even during the holidays, the Senegalese their spending. We had before the crisis on festival days are a lot of work. But now the people prefer to party at their old clothes. There used to be in Senegal to each party a new dress. But today can not even afford the middle class. "
fast-food outlets in Dakar run most likely. Therefore, Eugenie has opened a simple restaurant, pizza and sandwiches can also be taken. The Senegalese has vigorously from her husband, a bank manager, can differ. She lives in a chic-looking house in a new neighborhood near the airport. But here is always eaten by candlelight: Again, the power failed.
"For a country that is 50 and had good conditions, is really unhappy, the government has managed the country very badly. In the past, people made it somehow, but now there are no Dakar Family everything that takes on day three meals. "
About half the people in Senegal have to survive a day with less than two dollars. A fifth of the population is malnourished. From the global financial crisis on African countries less affected, the more so by rising world prices for food, especially rice also promotes if the government with an agricultural plan the installation in their own country. The index of human development is Senegal slipped in recent years, ten places down, is 2009 166th from 182nd
in Mbour, a port city of about 180 000 Inhabitants, is celebrated a baptism. The birth of a child is a common reason for celebration: The population is growing steadily, while of the twelve and a half million Senegalese, 42 percent are under 15. Mohamed hot
of newborns, says his mother named Miriam. With a welcome message received by the father, Sidath Djameh the guests.
"Make yourself at home. Today we celebrate the religious festival. We give the baby a week after the birth of a name. This is my third child, I have two girls, this is my first boy. I am pleased a boy to have. " The 43 year-old
father works in a travel agency. With 800 000 Tourists in good years, tourism is an important source of foreign exchange for Senegal. Although the region is a tourist paradise with palm trees and ocean, says Sidath Djameh.
"The mood in the country is cold, people are tense. We are dissatisfied with the president. A country does not develop, if only to build roads. You must also eat and drink and a perspective for the future. Here the government has created no infrastructure, there are no schools for training in tourism, although tourism is the third source of income. "
The average per capita annual income is 700 €. Although Sidath Djamehs pay anything above it, of which he could hardly support his family. The sale in France, travel to Senegal in €, complains the man who would earn more than the Senegalese who work on site with the tourists.
Neighbouring Saly is just a tourist paradise 80 kilometers from Senegal's capital Dakar: A band plays under the thatched roof of an African restaurants, palm trees rustling in the background and the sea. But the holiday setting is deceptive.
"For two years, the sea is always fast approaching," said Amadou Demba who works for twelve years as a guard in Saly. "There used to a beach. People had to walk quite far out to swim in the water. On the beach there were many trees, palm trees and even houses, but they are all gone. "
The phenomenon affects the whole, over 500 kilometers of Atlantic coast of Senegal, threatened fishing ports and seaside villages. The authorities are trying to embankments and walls . to curb - to no avail, the Senegalese politicians refer to the responsibility of developed countries Pape Ngom, in Saly in the party of President Wade:
"The people can not stop the ocean with his arms.. It is not enough to build dams in Senegal, where the North, not the Carbon emissions reduced. It would take a global strategy and worldwide will "
Haidar El Ali is according to the Paris newspaper" Le Monde "as one of the hundred most important environmentalists in the world, the Senegalese of Lebanese origin warns..
Pay "has to be the poor, they will suffer the consequences. Are to blame and deserve to be money, go somewhere else. As always, remain the poor! "
Today the colorful canoes of the fishermen to land more often than wrecks on the beaches of the Canary Islands." Barcelona or Barzak " tell the candidates for emigration: Barcelona or paradise after death. Karim Sall has already bought boats and fuel for emigrants.
"Barcelona or Barzak, which means that one anyway one day to die If we can get out of our situation, we try this we die here, it has God as wanted. "
The fact that the Senegalese government with support from Europe reinforced monitoring the coasts, not impressed with the 27-year old Cheikh Wade. He wants to go to Europe, like three of his brothers:
"The police we do not care as long as we can get away only from Senegal Life is too hard, even if you up in jail.. off: If you want gone, you go away "
A Senegalese success story
" My dream that one day the Europeans ask. Where are the Africans? Let us no more? Because we are doing well in Africa so that Africans will prefer to stay in Africa. "
Boubakar Tall 32 years old. The engineer is after five years returned to France to Saint Louis in Senegal. In France, he worked with sstars, and in Senegal he has some success: His young company is committed to the sound at concerts in Dakar or the Jazz Festival in Saint Louis, where Boubakar also has built a recording studio.
designer Aissa Dione can produce valuable substances in Dakar, to pay for the luxury brands up to 80 € for the meter.
The rattling looms, spinning wheels rotate to the African music from the radio. The men move to the handloom quick hands and feet, concentrating at work. Struggling with rich fabrics for Africa's Development: This is the concept of the artist, businesswoman and fashion designer Aissa Dione. Raw material to turn into export goods, locally, in Africa: "That is the added value! One does not fight against poverty by the farmers are a few cents more for its cotton! But when his children spin, weave, color and sell it, then change what the village. "
Another African success story by Youssou Ndour. The New York Times has described his voice once described as" one of the greatest voices in the world. "The singer filled the largest concert halls in Europe. In Germany, he was with duets with Peter Gabriel, Sting or Neneth Cherry on the charts. Despite his international success has remained Youssou Ndour in Senegal. Parallel to his musical career it creates jobs, grants micro-credit, is building a media empire. Some would like the famous singer as a future president. Youssou Ndour is 50, as old as Senegal..
"draw At 50 you have to balance, see what worked and did not what works and try to get ahead, or continue to get going I have the impression that the political event, unfortunately only folklore. But the intellectuals of culture and sports science and our country will once again set in motion. "
faith in their presidents have lost most Senegalese. But almost all want to believe in an "African Renaissance".
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