Bible Society work in the SAHEL Region

Bible Society work
in the SAHEL Region

Based in Dakar (Senegal) West Africa, the SAHEL Project covers seven countries: Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau and Gambia.

History
There has been in this part of Africa a succession of great empires and kingdoms like Mali, Songhaï, Bornu, Djolof, etc… until the arrival of conquerors from North Africa, then from Europe. The Sahel region first endured the domination of Arab conquerors who spread Islam in the region in the 11th century. In late 1800's the British, French, Portuguese, German colonizers invaded the countries and forced the Muslim conquerors and traditional chiefs to compromise with them about the power including slave trade. Practically all countries in West Africa have been under French, British, Portuguese, German colonization before becoming independent nations in the 1960's.

Economy & Health
These Sahel countries are among the poorest on the continent and in the world. The gross national product (in billion dollars) varies between 0.3 and 33.4. Most countries depend on substance farming, herding and fishing. The life expectancy is around 48 years. The population is young but the death rate is very high. The mortality rate (at birth) averages 145/1000. The AIDS pandemic is a serious threat to the survival of people and the economy as it claims the lives of the most active layers of the society.

Politics
Many nations are emerging from military dictatorships to meaningful democracy. Occasional military pushes still happen. Democracy remains a fragile governing structure in many countries like Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, Gambia. Political and civil strife has caused bloodshed, intense suffering among the civil population. Movements of rebellion destabilize governments and are easily exported to neighbouring nations. This has made reconciliation a crucial need in many nations.

Religion
Christianity came about the same time as the colonization in a context where Islam was already well spread and well established particularly in the Sahel countries (The former Sudanese empire). The history of Christianity dates back to just 100 years or less. Most of the SAHEL Project countries are in what is known today as the 10/40 window. Some countries are Islamic republics (Mauritania), the others have an overwhelming majority of Muslims up to 95 % like in Senegal.

Official Definition and Goal
UBS first expressed its concern about Sahel Countries in 1980 at the Chiang Mai Council. Before that date, Francophone West Africa was poorly represented in UBS fellowship. So in 2002 the SAHEL Project was created as the implementation of the Francophone Initiative. The SAHEL Project aims at strengthening the National Bible Societies in that area so that they can communicate and share the Word of God efficiently with TAZI audience: providing an opportunity for every person to have access to the Word of God in a format they can use and at a price they can afford.

Robert Cabou, SAHEL Project Coordinator

‘We are not just handing out Bibles!’ (UBS Migrant Ministry) (July 2006)