The University of Delaware chapter of buildOn, sponsored by the School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA), is organizing another service learning program to Senegal in January 2018 to help launch construction of a new school that will serve a community that currently lacks access to basic primary education.

The program, sponsored by SPPA, has around 10 available spots and applications from any student at UD will be accepted.

Those who are interested in applying for the trip are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming information sessions on Wednesday, March 8, at 7 p.m. in Room 185 of Graham Hall and Monday, March 13, at 6 p.m. in Room 005 Kirkbride Hall.

A nonprofit organization, buildOn is working to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education. It offers after school programs in the United States for students in inner-city schools to participate in a service-learning curriculum, and 95 percent of students enrolled in buildOn after-school programs graduate high school and go on to college.

BuildOn has also constructed more than 1,000 schools in seven developing countries – Mali, Malawi, Senegal, Nepal, Nicaragua, Haiti and Burkina Faso. These schools will be staffed by teachers of the individual nation’s ministries of education.

For these schools, both buildOn staff and community residents sign a covenant of support outlining their responsibilities to the project.

Anyone who is interested in more information but not able to attend either meeting can contact Eric Albers at ealbers@udel.edu.

Applications are open and can be found on buildOn at UD’s Facebook page and are due on Friday, March 17, at 11:59 p.m.

For a video of the last program to Mborane Sereer, Senegal, see the YouTube page.