About Us
The Visionary: Jacques Cusin
In 2007, Jacques Cusin traveled to Senegal with his daughter and was profoundly moved by the nation’s rich culture and resilient people. Inspired to take action, he established a humanitarian exchange program designed to connect high school students with rural, underdeveloped villages. Launched in 2008 in the village of Keur Sedaro, this initiative offered students a transformative three-week immersion centered on community service and cross-cultural partnership.
"I hope that our students become more aware of the world, of the way some people do live, the way resources are shared, the way they make their decision," he explains, adding that he hopes the students will also make a difference in Keur Sadar”, says Jacques Cunin, Philosophy Educator at Drew School. "So, it's more of an exchange than us coming to the rescue of anyone. More of a sharing of what resources we have and, in turn, our students are becoming more aware of different culture and, in this case, it's a Muslim culture, also, a polygamous culture."
Recognizing the systemic hurdles facing remote regions—compounded by a national debt-to-GDP ratio of 62%—Jacques identified a critical need for sustainable, locally-driven solutions. Leveraging his professional experience, he developed a strategic model focused on interactive learning and holistic support to address the logistical and economic barriers to progress. From this vision, Health and Education in Senegal was established.
To date, the organization has successfully constructed and launched four comprehensive school sites. Our ongoing mission is to expand and maintain this vital infrastructure, ensuring long-term impact through a dedicated network of global donors, community partners, and volunteers.
The Blueprint for a Brighter Senegal
Recognizing that the true measure of impact lies in longevity, Jacques transitioned the mission’s focus from initial construction to the dedicated maintenance of the established educational hubs. Understanding that a community's growth is stunted without health and economic opportunity, he expanded these sites to include integrated health clinics and adult vocational training opportunities.
To ensure these vital institutions remain high-functioning anchors for their communities, Jacques secured the ongoing commitment of visionary private funders, including Jeremy Nickel and Ellen Singer. Through their consistent annual support, essential resources were required to preserve infrastructure, offer medical services, and power the trade programs that drive local livelihoods. This shift toward sustainable stewardship ensures that the foundations that were built - from primary classrooms to health education - continue to serve as safe, modern, and effective environments for generations of learners to come.
Environmental Stewardship and Afforestation
Driven by a deep-seated personal passion and a multi-generational family legacy in environmental conservation, Jeremy Nickel spearheaded the strategic afforestation of the school community zones. This initiative is not merely aesthetic; it is a critical ecological intervention in a region where environmental health is inextricably linked to human survival.
In Senegal, these afforestation efforts serve several vital functions:
Combatting Desertification: Trees act as a natural bulwark against the rapid encroachment of the desert, stabilizing the local ecosystem.
Soil Restoration: By preventing wind erosion and fixing nutrients, these plantings restore degraded land, creating a foundation for long-term food security.
Resource Independence: Beyond ecological benefits, these trees provide the community with essential medicine, fruit, and firewood.
"Live Fences": Plantings are strategically designed to form protective natural barriers around communal gardens, shielding crops from the elements and wandering livestock.
This commitment to the land ensures that the educational and health hubs remain nestled within a resilient, productive, and shaded environment, further cementing the project’s promise of longevity.
