Aims

The Dakar Dragons project has one major aim in mind: To support the work that Viola Vaughn is doing with the 10,000 girls project and take the girls business education to the next level.

The 10,000 girls project already teaches basic business skills and the girls get involved in enterprise to raise money. The girls run the project themselves supported by Viola. The Dakar Dragons project will leverage what is already in place and teach and support the older girls so that they blossom into confident business women.

The 10,000 girls project is a charity but they are not looking for handouts.They already make products for export. They want support and education and help in finding markets and new products. They also would like help in building more sustainable businesses that succeed on their own merits rather than getting the sympathy vote.

We hope that working with girls will spill out into the community for the betterment of all and we can demonstrate that giving experise and business education is far more valuable to Africa than charity and aid.

Vision

Our first trip will be the start of the business education process that will help Viola Vaughn and the girls achieve their dream of educating 10,000 girls. We see our contribution as helping the girls help themselves to increase the income generated by their many business ventures. They already have expertise. We will give them the tools to take it to the next level and turn their business ambitions into reality.

By mentoring and coaching some of the key leaders, we will be building up the local expertise which means the progress will be sustainable and generative.

We see the impact rippling out into the wider business community. After our first trip we will get a much better idea of some of the other ways we can help increase sustainable local enterprise.