After three years of fundraising, the BASIS Independent McLean French Honor Society raised enough money to construct a new schoolhouse in Khombole, Senegal, to replace an existing, temporary building that could not withstand the rainy season.
The school was built in phases as the money was available and completed in December after a total of $12,000 had been raised and donated by the local McLean students. This summer, a group of 22 BASIS students and parents, led by French teacher Elisabeth Seye, traveled to Senegal to formally inaugurate the schoolhouse and deliver laptops, a projector, clothing, school supplies and a $1,000 check to cover additional items for the school.
The relationship between the two schools dates back to 2016, as Seye pairs her French students with students in Senegal as a cultural and language-building opportunity with students in the French-speaking country.
