Soxna Beye School welcomes children from surrounding villages, providing education based on a pedagogical approach emphasizing autonomy and cooperation.
The pedagogy is inspired by the Soxna Beye philosophy, focusing on the child’s autonomy, learning, and the discovery of their own history and culture. It is a pedagogy grounded in reality, active and cooperative: children learn by participating in farm activities, experimenting, creating, and conceptualizing. Students benefit from quality education, thanks to the generosity of supporters, with education being provided free of charge.
The school complex consists of a large central hall and seven satellite classrooms, some of which are designated as laboratories. The architectural structure draws inspiration from traditional villages, and the tifa roofs provide exceptional thermal insulation. Energy autonomy is ensured by a new photovoltaic system. While tifa roofs can last for 40 years, constant maintenance is required due to climatic conditions. Currently, the roof of a building designated for toilets with showers still needs to be covered.
Binta Samb Ba School of Arts, Crafts, and Sports offers training opportunities for young and adult learners through specialized practical workshops (tifa roof covering, tailoring, soap making, etc.).
Like the primary school complex, the School of Arts, Crafts, and Sports is constructed based on bioconstruction principles, using clay bricks extracted directly from Afrika Mandela Ranch. The roofs are covered with tifa cane, a plant introduced recklessly in the 1970s that grows invasively along the banks of the Senegal River. This roofing is both traditional (using local vegetation) and innovative, revisiting the Breton artisanal technique with alternative resources
Activities at the Binta Samb Ba School began with its construction in 2014, thanks to the training of “chaumiers” (thatchers). Various teams of young people and adults have taken turns over the years to learn on-site thatching techniques and later establish their own entrepreneurial activities.
AFRIKA MANDELA RANCH has formed partnerships with high schools, universities, and higher institutes of professional studies, primarily in the Saint Louis region.
The most frequent participation comes from students at the Rao High School, who enthusiastically engage in various proposed activities, including artistic, sports, cultural, as well as tree planting and green care days. Workshops on mural painting, soap making, and tailoring have been particularly appreciated.
During the academic year 2022/23, Afrika Mandela Ranch has benefited from the presence of various internship teams in agriculture, livestock, food processing, and cosmetics from the ISEP in Richard Toll. On one occasion, students and interns independently organized a grand exchange festival, complete with a culinary challenge!
The School of Arts, Crafts, and Sports also provides literacy courses, especially for women who unfortunately still face significant disadvantages in rural areas.
Another ambitious project is in the works: we hope to create the Sports Hub at Afrika Mandela Ranch shortly, equipped with fields for various athletic and competitive disciplines.
