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2/16/1970 - Dakar, enroute to Nairobi by George Jones

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS U S Embassy P O Box 30137 J Nairobi Kenya Dakar enroute Nairobi February Mr Richard H Nolte Institute Current World Affairs Madison Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Nolte Findin superlatives describe feelings while disembarkin Dakar Sene especially after experiencin snocy eather Ne York impossible The balmy deree early mornin itself effective sedative traveled abonds States alone hours closer destination The tranquil atmosphere lasted savored appreciation however duration abbreviated A brisk plane ration broke spell superchar atmosphere There overbundance excitement Flurry activity multitude passen first through stations In retrospect however realizes meagre amount actual accomplished In deference these officious lookin workers however I admit certain amount eration The level coupled level stimulation finally Africa tended every situation tension focus normally The process ilterin through customs difficult because limitation French language The ritual although obviously enjoyed airport personnel began after sixty minutes expla nations The station multitude later chucklin perplexed health certificate examiner The Heal Officer after minutes scrutinizin records informed appeared completed requirement lackin yello supplement requirement particular country He voiced plexity countin certificates counted three people party Obviously taxim aully boring youngest child taken Not tical issues tackle first I decided after quick division labor search premises Gre I remained rechecked certificates official The remembrance painful aftermath yello hadreceivedaeeekspriortoourdepartmreasenougho motivation incentive spend necessary clear oversight In losin member family amidst confusion airport equally disconcertin Happily I report sitatio cleared itself permitted luggage hotel The health officer simply passed yello section health certificate Gre found company entlemen assumed Muslims looked theyere straight The Arabian Nights Myie later related seriomsness Gre anderin scene priceless strip movies Our speech pattern developed point intelliibility hovering betee these jabberin ettin response The Fact response French bother Myie rther iterated stares these sobbin intererin somethin preplaned crucial marched Finally after short Scrimmage between competin companies after havin fourteen pieces luggage earily center Dakar hotel Dakar estern continent Africa eoraphically speaking offers natural stoppi oplace respite center travelers jettin across Atlantic Its population overgO0 continues Bein strategic position appear tomrism constitute major source income country However brief observation visit I venture tourist certainly elcomed catered other countries Most caterin trned inard SeneleSe French residen enjoy offerings In contrast present oriented attitude oicia encies Trade Union Union Progressive Sene alaise sioly attemptin future Sene complete almost decade independence When mentions independence however Western oriented Senealese qickly respond statement smally effect Senegal African republic enjoyin orked areement F rance This areement indeed Sene continme iself France economy benefit other meniies associated French commnnity Above Goin Market Left Typically dressed Senealese woman Below The outskirts Medina The argument concerin particular arrangement evidence Many onder possible become truly Aricanized functional relationship The eclectic response question simply their shoulders President Senhor sensin exert pressure towards truly autonomous overnment endorsed develop merit aimed mainly increasin economic viability country through sources other production round present source income Actually previous plans inaugurated Al thouh officially introduced populace certain similar content previous plans chanes anticipations The previous reports accordin Labor relations attache American Embassy centered around areas interest I increase private consumption three effect annual gross domestic product attain possible investment subject preserve overall librium maintain balanced provide allocation investment sector economy predetermine proportions Accordin records eighty prior initiation plannin program However economic specialists althou plannin success tackle critical issue unemployment The President response thrown auntlet issued atement effect It unemployment overcome means systematic determined effort achieve industrialization I became quite employment I wandered around mainareas I observed hundreds people simply sittin meanderin aimlessly The where situation pronounced called Medina African hetto further inquiry stressed unemployment cannot attributed solely There skilled labor managerial staff This abyss caused still unfinished educational system according ancillary school program people Each students leave primary school barely write Schools continue mainly production clerks other types office personnel rather manual skilled persons positions available In crisis constant urban center people somewhat unreardin diicult natural rowtho cities becomes almost redundant cialist procla employment crucial issue years Prior visit Dakar encouraged visit special undertaken World Council Churches towards amelioratin problems teracy supplant dearth manual skilis In place usual academic programs skills which allow people proicient making domestic repair aught The school Centre Bopp human worksh0p referred order might offset traditional strict academia began operation At thrust strict medical atten aspirin takin temperatures Feelin hopelessness perfunctory Miss Irene Poznanski present Co director along colleagues treatin residents appealed Cimade French Protestant sector World Council ChUrches manpower might become involved problems current scene Miss Poznanski original pioneers intimately familiar problems unemployment teracy throu their former contact Kibbutz Israel European Camps initiated World War II displaced people The whole philosophical tenet which these people maintain insistin workshop popular great psychological beneit deriving The staff exists solely assist program itself result creativity client The begins continuously until evening The mornin afternoon sessions usually devot mothers unemployed The evening classes directed mainly towards employed might derive reater benefits learnin write Whilee visited creative acility located outskirts Dakar invited participate class Sensin casual observation involved least amateurs learned parti cnlar class composed select They chosen cooperative anizations their respective communities represent centre They commissioned additional skills possible return their communltles impart their newly acquired skills their friends neighbors The daughter Senealese student Human Workshop Center Literacy trainin classes Needless homor chosem therefore uheard umder these circumstances The majormty students purpose oriented humanly possible accomplish There formal emtramce requirememts program available imterested abide informal rules established Women least iteem years before participatim activity hereas start seventeem One unique features program instructors classes recruited centre Interestinly majority instructors responsible teachi readin ritin between Althou noticed several Showin interest skill tailoring sewin dominated women Like involved instructors women assumed They taught sewin novices Zhile continuin learn advanced techniques themselves In districts women developed their cooperatives Money which earned their sewin placed central district purchase equipment towards derayin residence costs other representatives centre It stressed repeatedly director literacy trainin embedded activities sewing health practices nutritional plannin homemaking secondary methodology implicit establishin social relationships The presentation extremely impor environmental setting Durin visitation students their instructors outoin enial The shyness which stran usually evokes evidence Their social relationship trainin emphasized importance sharin appreciative which This special trainin program mised parti cipants potential necessary community involvement participants future leaders When asked about number enrollees school officials merely threw their hands On books officially registered around whereas actuality people regardless legalities formal arranTements Medical services important operation center usually first contact Above Center instructors holdin seminar orein visitor When asked about question tomorrow director replied worried about today As programs nature which htully critich issue becomes securing enough money program operation The francs which brouh participants merely tokens pride which students eelin contributing their welfare The director expressed financial assistance The proramas exists receives cento budget through Senegalese government remainder through donations sources UNICEF churches Holland West Germany Czecho lavakia Attemptin parallels between program Tufts Delta Project GJ I I inquired about possibility cooperative armin modus operandi Her response enthusiastic terms potential pessimistic concernin financial requirements machinery which necessary program She assured quite financial barrier indeed active their program After brief active basketball older students after takin pictures leave continue exploration Dakar multitude restin The Centre Bopp indeed etched eople Dakar inspiration motiVation criteria suCcess eventually impor towards assitin employability residents while openin sources employment The remainin hihli Dakar Island Goree Pre conditioned historical account island central warehouse slaves readied colonies strate position French stron quite ready exisin microcosm Located Island several schools shops sellin curios restaurants museum local prison Thinkin prison museum realizin nature building housin uniformly dressed looked caretakers obtrusively their areas Some prisoners their alterin En about their present stations quite their details about prison As conversation become interestin informative I I intrudin Sensin earnestness I quickly departed International lannae The library popular The island Goree School activity island residents island The islamd itsel appears harem residents Dakar enjoy those military historians enjoy rummai aroumd imtricate umderroumd network previous The island elcome chane bustlim metropolis Dakar iteen mimutes Ater French around island pretty happy return hotel contemplate ectve constitute final destination Nairobi Kenya departure Nairobi antici pation inally reachin ordeals Immigration people arrival Dakar almost benin To plane scheduled M meant arrivin airport order honor their request there minutes prior The hotel airport least tenty minutes countin suitcases Rather carry mathematical exercise I brie1y decided sleep evenin astute arrivin airport ahead crowd Quite sleepy arrived airport around M Much dismay check until The tickedovery slowly inally reach Bein luggage naturally taken kilogramsl promptly plane loadin From eihin station little tickets shu1ed second boardin issued Lookin little passed entleman there began thumbin through several books while making numeral notations Ater minutes ingenious display arithmetic wizardry announced approximately kilograms above required limit would extra Not antin impolite laugh there I simply evidently error purchases Dakar started Ne York consisted items I laborously bargained artisans market ettin shopkeeper table cloth which place Unmoved conusion clerk calculations after inishin sorry iures accurate would By become extremely meant protest would pressure other passengers So rather asked mornin supervisor stepped aside Glancin watch I became aware exchange taken twenty minutes To spare anxious moments perplexity situation simply state brought plane might which chose leave behind One entleman New York seein frantically openin suitcases sortin through profusion items offered money desired Very moved enerous offer declined explanation really matter money principle This extra priorities particular Increasin leavin behind managed weight worth At I0 boarded crowded aircraft separate family three different directions At point I could think innin ending relation overworked saying Cheer could worse And I enough Thins worse Sincerely yours George Jone Received New York March