„I have been given a new life.“ Mr. Memili is convinced after fighting cancer for two years and finally beating it in 2016. He now wanted to share this happiness with others and came across long-time employee Mr. Sy, who told him about the grievances in his village in Gassambery, Matam region, Senegal. Thus the idea for the Fondation was born.

In February 2020, the time had come, still with crutches in hand, Mr. Memili traveled to Senegal with his son Murat Kaan and Mr. Sy. For one week they lived in the home village of his co-worker in Gassambery, Matam region and quickly recognized the need of the inhabitants. They handed over donations of clothing, bought livestock for the village and helped build a market hall.

After the trip, however, it should in no way end, much more a long-term improvement of the living conditions of the villagers should be brought about. Therefore, many other projects are planned. A slaughterhouse, which was completed in July 2021, is to be connected to the completed market hall, where the residents can sell food, textiles and other items. In this, slaughtering should be able to take place under hygienic conditions and the meat should be stored safely. In order to make the market hall accessible to other villages, the infrastructure will be expanded and an additional storage hall for items on a donation basis will be filled with clothing, hygiene items, bicycles, wheelchairs, crutches and many other vital items. Likewise, urgently needed medical facilities such as an emergency room and maternity ward are to be built. Here, volunteer professionals will initially treat and care for the people. In the future, local personnel will be trained for this purpose.

Another important goal is to create an own economic livelihood for the inhabitants living there. Thus, through the purchase of animal herds, livestock breeding is to be established and a sustainable stock is to be ensured. In addition, there will be an olive plantation, which will be planted fresh. The animal and olive products will be processed by the inhabitants living there and the products obtained from them will be sold. This will create new livelihoods that will enable the people to feed their families independently.

Furthermore, Mr. Memilis is concerned with creating educational opportunities that will be accessible not only for children but also for adults. With an educational center and the knowledge imparted there, the foundations for a promising success of the newly built infrastructure and living conditions will be laid.

With all these projects, the ARCORA Fondation would like to achieve in the next three years a lasting self-sufficiency, as well as an accompanying independence of the village. The village in Gassambery, Matam region, in Senegal, however, is only one concrete example. Similar projects will follow in many other communities and places in the Third World. This is the only way to sustainably combat poverty, the precarious situation in many countries and the associated causes of flight.