Demi Wilson '26 - Duke Engage in Senegal

I spent the majority of my summer in Dakar, Senegal as a participant of Duke Engage. Duke Engage gave me the opportunity to leave the United States, which is something that I have never done before. I did not know what to expect. After the program I can say that the 8 weeks changed my life. 

The main role that was required was the role of a teacher, teaching English and digital literacy to a class of 25 adult learners. Myself and my teaching partner taught 4 days a week and formed great friendships with our students who we still communicate with today. Teaching was a large aspect of what shaped my experience in Senegal, but it was not the only part of the 8 weeks that made my time memorable. For example, I lived with a host family who taught me some of the customs of Senegalese culture. Additionally, I learned Wolof, which is a language widely spoken in Senegal, twice a week and learned how to greet people and bargain for taxis and goods. I found that speaking Wolof strengthened my relationship with Senegalese people. Even if my Wolof wasn’t perfect, we could all laugh and bond over my attempt to try to communicate by learning the language. We went on excursions to historical landmarks inside and outside the city, where I had the opportunity to learn more about the history of Senegal and West Africa while simultaneously learning more about the country outside of the city life in Dakar. 

The last example is that I interned at Poste de Santé Liberté 4 which is a community health center every week. I shadowed the supervisor and participated in taking the patients’ temperatures, weight, and blood pressure. Speaking French to the best of my ability, there was still a strong language barrier. But the language barrier did not block the empathy I felt by the nurses, the supervisor, and the staff. The main lesson that I learned in Senegal was the importance of greetings, kindness, and gift giving. During my time in Senegal, I felt the kindness radiating from the students that I taught and the people in the community health center. Senegal emphasized the importance of being kind to others and helping everyone whenever you can which are the backbone qualities of a great physician. I am thankful for having the opportunity to visit Dakar and learn from the Senegalese because they have made me a better person and the best future physician that I can be.