Centre Baobab International / Baobab Center International

Center Baobab International grew out of the American NGO Africa Consultants International (ACI). The latter was highly dependent on the international geopolitical, security, and health environment, especially as most of its beneficiaries came from outside the country, mainly from the United States of America (USA). Among the major events that have destabilized it are Ebola, the Malian crisis, and finally Covid-19. The latter succeeded in bringing ACI to a definitive halt. An internal strategic reflection recognized that such a posture was no longer viable and that it was necessary to reinvent itself to adapt better. The NGO ACI had its headquarters and activities mainly in Senegal, with missions in the West African sub-region. But to better adapt, ACI began a process of mutation a few years ago to become a local Senegalese NGO. This is how the Centre Baobab International came into being. The Centre Baobab was the training and resource center of the NGO ACI, located in Sicap Baobab. So it was easier for the transfer to keep the Centre Baobab name and increase the word International for a wider scope of action.

OUR AMBITION

• Promote intercultural understanding (language skills, intercultural competencies, positive societal values);
• Promote quality education (access to education, efficient education system, introduction of national languages);
• Promote preventive health (access to basic health care, efficient health care system, equity);
• Promote socio-economic and environmental well-being (access to financing, wealth creation, preservation of the environment, improved quality of life);
• Promote good governance (transparency, accountability, performance).

OUR VISION

CBI is a strong, effective, and innovative umbrella organization that contributes to the transformation of people, the empowerment of civil society organizations, good public governance and the building of bridges between peoples, and the promotion of well-being and peace.

OUR MISSION

To promote intercultural understanding, education, health, and well-being, and to help improve the governance of social organizations and the effectiveness of public policies.

OUR WORK

The CBI is an influential and committed organization whose core business is Training and Coaching, Organizational Development, Advocacy, Evaluation, and Research. Three departments will be set up:

• Its Institut Gary Engelberg pour la Formation Transformationnelle (IGEFT) offers alternative, diversified, and high-quality training through language teaching and intercultural exchanges, certification training in leadership and development management modules, and community service learning. CBI seeks to promote greater understanding of the world around them while respecting differences. The flexibility of our teams enables us to offer innovative programs and tools, in line with the needs and expectations of each individual and each community.
• Through its Preventive Health, Entrepreneurship, Environment and Development (SPEED) program, CBI is committed to using innovative interventions to provide effective responses to health, social, economic, and environmental inequalities. CBI aims to be a value-added structure that supports actors and organizations in strengthening their capacities and their "power to act" (empowerment) and facilitates processes of advocacy and dialogue, cultural exchange, and transformational training at community, national, and international levels on issues of health, resilience and climate adaptation, etc. The SPEED program will work with women and young people to create wealth through green and blue entrepreneurship projects, renewable energies, and so on.

Working both in Senegal and Africa, the CBI seeks to promote policies and practices that ensure good governance, social justice, and sustainable, equitable human development.

• The CBI's Evaluation, Research, and Innovation (ERI) program aims to support CSOs in evaluating their projects and building their capacities and to promote the production of knowledge to inform the interventions and programs of all types of players (communities, organizations, governments, etc.) while sharing and disseminating best practices and a better understanding of the contexts in which they operate. The CBI is committed to developing effective, efficient, complementary, and coordinated actions that optimize all stakeholders' social, economic, and environmental impact.