The „Freundeskreis Tambacounda e.V.“ (circle of friends of Tambacounda, incorporated society) is an association to communicate african cultural assets and to assist development projects in Africa. The association is based in Hannover (Germany) and was established in 1992.

The ambition of the “circle of friends” is to comprehend the theme“education for enduring development” as a practical field of learning and activities in Hannover as well as in Tambacounda/Senegal. We want to initiate and to accomplish concrete measures and projects. In our understanding there is a demand for development and potential in Hannover as well as in Tambacounda. There are many fields of development, but we focus especially on education, environment, health (aspects) and integration. Depending on the age and the targetgroup we find forms and techniques of knowledge transfer and exchange. The idea behind this is to gain new views and access to change conditions of living and behavior.

In Tambacounda (Senegal) our main concern is to support the people in order for them to take their destiny in their own hands and to find solutions by themselves. At the same time we want to support the people in Hannover (Germany) to overbear their picture of Africa as a weak, needy and dependent continent and also to open their minds for cultural plurality and creative ideas.

The name Tambacounda was chosen consciously, because it symbolizes a part of the world, which is unknown and doesn’t get any esteem. Tambacounda is the capital of the province “Sénégal Oriental”, a part east in the country, which is in the borderland of the Sahel. In the Senegal the region is regarded as hopelessly underdeveloped and antiquated. The destination of the association, among other things, is to change these situation.