Dakar has a rainy season from July to September, with oppressive temperatures and high humidity.
While the rains in Senegal are necessary to bring life and growth to the villages the same rains can carry death and disease into Dakar. Due to mass rural exodus and poor city planning Dakar was built without taking into account the geographical horsts and grabens, therefore much of the city floods during the rainy season, bringing sewage into homes and schools and creating a breeding ground for malaria-borne mosquitoes and outbreaks of cholera.
The day these photos were taken the president appeared on the news falsely telling the rest of the world the floodwater had been pumped out of Dakar streets and the threats of disease eradicated. To those that live here the implication is that disaster aid funds given to Senegal had been used to line bureaucratic pockets instead of for their intended purpose. A very common practice in a corrupt government such as this one.
While Senegal remains one of the safest African countries to live, the people are afraid to speak out against the government for fear of the very real threat of retaliation.










