From Retirement to Renewal: How One Man Is Ending the Cycle of Poverty in Saint-Louis, Senegal
Most people picture retirement as a chance to slow down. For Ndaraw Diop, it lasted less than a day.
Less than 24 hours after retiring from a 38-year career as director of the government agency responsible for vulnerable children in Saint-Louis, Senegal, Ndaraw was back at work — this time as a volunteer with Maison de la Gare (MDG), a local NGO that supports the city’s most at-risk children, known as talibés.
A New Mission: Bringing Microfinance to Saint-Louis
When Ndaraw learned that Friends of Senegal (FOS) was partnering with Maison de la Gare to launch a zero-interest microloan program for older talibés and other vulnerable men and women in Saint-Louis, he didn’t hesitate.
The program was designed to give the poorest residents of the community interest-free loans so they could start or grow small businesses — a lifeline for families who had never had access to traditional banking or credit. Ndaraw understood the stakes better than most: he had spent nearly four decades watching families in his community struggle to meet basic needs, trapped in a cycle of poverty passed from one generation to the next.
A trained sociologist and published researcher on poverty in Senegal, Ndaraw is one of the most respected figures in Saint-Louis. Walk the streets with him and it’s easy to mistake him for a local official — he’s greeted at every corner, always ready with a smile or a joke.
Despite having no background in finance or business, Ndaraw stepped forward immediately: “I want to manage the microfinance program.” His determination was enough to earn him the role — and the results since then speak for themselves.
Building a Microfinance Program From Scratch — During a Pandemic
Ndaraw took on the challenge just as COVID-19 hit, adding a steep learning curve to an already ambitious startup effort. Through trial, error, and persistence, he built a lending model that now serves as a model of locally led development in action.
Key results of the program to date include:
- On track to grant 150 loans this year
- A loan repayment rate above 90% and rising — the true measure of a microfinance program’s health
- A 50/50 split between loans made to men and women, a deliberate and meaningful choice in a traditionally male-dominated economy
- A shift from individual loans to group lending, a model expected to dramatically expand the program’s reach
- Loan processing time cut to as little as 24 hours for returning borrowers, thanks to streamlined paperwork that cuts through typical bureaucratic delays
More Than a Loan Officer: The Human Side of Microfinance
What sets Ndaraw apart isn’t just his numbers — it’s how he treats the people behind them. Running the program almost single-handedly, with support only from the organization’s accountant, Adama Diarra, Ndaraw takes time to understand each borrower’s business and their story.
Many of those stories are difficult: a woman whose education ended in third grade because she had to support her family. A man who spent his life savings trying to reach Europe for work, only to fail. Behind nearly every loan application is a story of financial insecurity and exhaustion.
Ndaraw meets each of them with patience and reassurance. He’s often described as part financial advisor, part counselor — someone who restores confidence as much as capital. When he notices a client hasn’t eaten that day, he’s been known to quietly cover the cost of a meal out of his own pocket.
For Ndaraw, financial support and human dignity are inseparable.
Locally Led Development, One Loan at a Time
Ndaraw Diop’s story is a powerful example of what locally led impact looks like — not a program directed from thousands of miles away, but one built and run by a trusted member of the community, for the community he has spent his life serving.
This is the model Friends of Senegal is proud to support: programs designed and led by the people who understand the need best.
Want to help expand programs like this one? Donate to Friends of Senegal today and help bring zero-interest microloans to more families in Saint-Louis, Senegal.
How You Can Make a Difference
Donate
Your donation directly funds programs that support children and adults across six areas, including academic support, meals, healthcare visits, vocational training, psychosocial support, and microloans that help community members launch small businesses.
Friends of Senegal is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by state and federal laws.
Every dollar matters. Every child matters.
Donate Now and Give a Child a Future
Volunteer
You do not have to travel to Senegal to make an impact, though you absolutely can. Volunteers like Hawa Fofana have come from the United States to teach, mentor, and walk alongside children. Whether your skills are in education, healthcare, business, social work, sports, or simply showing up with compassion, there is a place for you here.
Join us in supporting both children and adults by volunteering your time or making a donation that fits your budget.
About the Organizations
Friends of Senegal (FOS) is a non-profit organization registered in Oregon under 501(c)(3) status. Learn more at: https://www.friendsofsenegal.org/about-friends-of-senegal/
Maison de la Gare (MDG) is a fully-vetted Senegalese NGO with no political or governmental affiliations, founded in 2007. Learn more at: https://en.mdgsl.com/
