This rural, public elementary school located in Bayakh, within the Diender region, is a rural community school that serves as a vital educational anchor for children in the surrounding farming villages. Most students at Santhioum come from families involved in market gardening (growing vegetables for Dakar's markets). 

As a public school in a rural area, it often faces challenges common to the Thiès region: large class sizes (often 50+ students per teacher) and a need for improved access to digital tools and sanitation.  Youth in this area have a higher NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) rate – roughly 39% - due to transition into manual farm labor.  Students here often face “Learning Poverty” (difficulty reading by age 10) due to limited French exposure at home.