Please donate to my Team Dayā fundraising effort – all funds go directly to building schools. If you are curious about Building Change with Team Dayā, please contact our Head of Recruiting Jaryd Knutsen.
By Hasan Arik, Team Dayā founding member
I recently returned from Senegal, where I had the privilege of helping build Team Dayā’s seventh school. As one of the founding partners, this trip was particularly special—it marked the first time we expanded a school that has already become a cornerstone of its community, providing vital educational opportunities where they are desperately needed.
Since we first built the school in 2022, student enrollment has quadrupled, and an adult education program has flourished. The rapid growth highlighted the urgent need for expansion, ensuring that more children and adults can access the education they deserve.
Entering these communities is an overwhelming blend of joy and humility. From the moment we arrive, we are embraced by the warmth of the people, welcomed with a vibrant ceremony where community, school, and government leaders share kind words and sign a covenant in support of the new school, including a promise to make certain the school is available to both boys and girls equally.
During the covenant ceremony, the literacy challenges in the community become evident. Many adults sign the document with their fingerprints, a poignant reminder of the barriers they face. Yet, this only deepens our commitment to bring about change through education.
The next day school build gets going with a little bit of warm-up exercises and explanations of how to use the basic tools that are available. It was amazing to see so much of the community was there to work and have a bit of fun whilst doing it. We all get assigned stations and get started.
The construction is guided by skilled workers, funded by Team Dayā, and organized through our partner buildOn. Together, we dig foundations, construct rebar structures for columns and trusses, and mold concrete blocks. It’s inspiring to see community members learning alongside us, acquiring new skills that will benefit them long after the school is completed.
The conditions are incredibly hot and dusty at 30-40 Celsius (95-104 F). The work is physically exhausting. The atmosphere is so captivating you don’t feel the time fly by. People are singing, dancing, joking around and loving the work.
The work progresses really fast with dozens of people working on the site. We quickly got the foundation done for both the school and accompanying two bathrooms. Columns and walls start rising from the ground and the new school is taking shape next to the previous one we built two years earlier.
Beyond the physical work, our time is enriched by cultural exchanges and chat circles with the community. These conversations bridge our worlds, exploring topics from education and family dynamics to gender roles and culinary traditions. These moments often lead to the most profound insights and joyful connections.
We all stay with different host families during the school groundbreaking week, who very kindly give us somewhere to stay. This is yet another lovely way to interact with the community as it really allows us to get close and personal with the host family.
They are just as curious about us as we are of them. Sharing a cup of tea, playing with the kids, talking about community life, and answering their questions about our lives becomes our daily routine. It almost feels selfish to be having this much fun.
Amidst the excitement, I find myself reflecting on my own journey. Growing up in a small Turkish town as one of eight children, I attended a primary school much like the ones we’re building here. My mother, who never learned to read or write, instilled in me the value of education. I vividly recall the day foreign students came to build a school in a nearby village—it was a turning point for me. Today, I’m driven by the belief that education is a fundamental human right, one that can transform lives just as it transformed mine
Time flies by, and saying goodbye to the community is always difficult. Yet, in true Senegalese spirit, the farewell is marked by a vibrant ceremony of music and dancing—a celebration of the bond we’ve forged and the future we’ve built together. None of this would be possible without the tireless efforts of Team Dayā and the generosity of our supporters worldwide. To each of you, I extend my deepest thanks for making this journey—and these schools—a reality.
Together, we’re not just building schools—we’re building futures and Building Change. Thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey.
###
Watch Hasan talk about the importance of the school in Nguiddine Keur Sara:
Three Ways You Can Help
- Make a Donation Online
- Example investment opportunities:
- $250 All the nails, nuts, and bolts to build a roof for the school
- $500 In-country mason during the entire construction of the school
- $1,000 Paint for a school
- $40,000 Fund an entire school
- Spread the Word
- Share our mission with your friends, your company and your industry
- Invite us to speak about our mission to your network
- Follow us LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
- Join the Team & Travel on a School Build
- If you have a combination of fundraising chops, an adventurous spirit and the belief each of us has the capacity to be Building Change, get in touch with us and have a conversation.
Team Dayā 2024 Plans
In 2024, we plan to build schools in Nepal (March), Senegal (June 2024) and Guatemala (December 2024). These ground breakings will be our second school in each of these countries.
The exact start dates are:
- Sunday, March 17, 2024 – Nepal (arrive Kathmandu) [groundbreaking completed]
- Sunday, June 23, 2024 – Senegal (arrive Dakar) [groundbreaking completed]
- Sunday, December 1, 2024 – Guatemala (arrive Guatemala City) [limited availability]
- A 2025 schedule will be published by September 1st.
If you are curious to learn more about joining a build, please reach out to our Head of Recruiting Jaryd Knutsen.
Thanks again for your continued support,
All of us at Team Dayā
