My name is Adama DIOP. I am a youth-led development from Agnam-Goly, a Sahelian village in north-eastern Senegal with a population of 3,143 inhabitants. I created and published definition of my village heritage, history, social organization, economy and statistics on: Wikipedia and [the Agnam-Goly village website] http://www.agnam-goly.org

•A sustainable development semester in Senegalese ecovillages with University of Massachusetts Amherst , Living Routes Program and Live and Learn Centre Eco Yoff brings me to conduct independent studies on following ways of life in the ecovillage of Palmarin: Solar ovens, Carbon Offset, Forestry, Waste Management.

•I have a passion for the study of Economic Development and entrepreneurial opportunities for local residents of native home village, particularly among women and minorities.

•Invited to join 2008 World Youth Congress Conference in Quebec; chosen as a delegate to give presentation on Pellital Microfinance Institution http://www.pellital.org I conceived, organized and implemented with partners as an entrepreneurial small scale rural enterprise loan program through a social network called Facebook. Some of the entrepreneurs in the program are as follows: Fish sellers, clothing sellers, seamstress, buttermilk seller, vegetable seller, and traditional hairstylist. The benefits from providing financial assistance will incur homegrown vitality and help these enterprises to succeed. In doing so, the Pellital Entrepreneurial Microfinancing Project is the embodiment of the Chinese proverb,” Give a person a fish and feed him for a day, teach him to fish and feed him for life.”

Where I grew up: Agnam-Goly

Places I've lived: Dakar, Quebec, Montreal, St-Andrews, Winnipeg

Schools I've attended: The university of Dakar, The university of Winnipeg