The project trip before the start of the World Social Forum leads the delegation members to places where the most pressing problems of the West African civil society to become visible. Also projects of EED local partners are on the program.
Plans include visits to various fishing villages on the coast of Senegal. There, the livelihoods of local fishermen and their families is under threat as empty international fishing fleets, the fishing grounds off the west coast of Africa. In subsequent visits is also the democratization process and the role that private media issue, among others, private radio stations in the capital Dakar. In addition, employees of the show EED partner organization “Groupement pour l’Etude et l’Enseignement de la population” (GEEP) the delegation participants how to improve Senegal’s education and health education of women.

The fauna of Senegal is in contrast to East Africa or the wooded coastal regions near the equator is not very obvious but nevertheless noteworthy from a variety. The migration route of many European bird species through the Senegal, many of them linger in the National Park Djoudj the first rest stop after the Sahara.
On the entire territory of a variety of reptiles is widespread. The marine and freshwater fauna, despite overfishing and destruction of natural habitats are still relatively abundant. Large mammals such as elephants, hippos, lions and antelopes are large extinct or found only sporadically in Koba National Park Niokola in the Southeast.

Senegal is politically stable, has a long democratic tradition and a growing economy. But the land in the far west of Africa is one of the least developed countries in the world. It has few raw materials and the climate limits the possibilities for agriculture: Two-thirds of Senegal are part of the Sahel. The amount of rain that falls there in the annual average would indeed be sufficient for a profitable agriculture – but it rains too irregular. That is why it always comes back to droughts and crop failures. Other problems caused to the intensive use of natural resources. Deforestation and overgrazing lead to serious environmental damage. Given this situation, many people wander off from the rural regions. Meanwhile, almost half the population lives in cities, one in five lives in the Senegalese capital Dakar. The result is growing slums, rising pollution and a high youth unemployment. The strong population growth of around three per cent makes the situation worse.
The Senegal is separated by the neighboring Gambia in a north and a smaller southern part. In the southern region of Casamance, the broad political and economic isolation from the rest of the country has led to an independence movement. Since 1982, there are violent clashes. Casualties, refugees and internally displaced persons, and a destroyed infrastructure and a fallow agriculture are consequences of the conflict. More than 800,000 people are affected directly or indirectly.