Serving Mama Africa
Our Mission
Our Work in Senegal
Golden Water
Ndoukouman rests in the heart of Senegal, West Africa, connecting us with countless Americans whose ancestors were once stolen from this region and sold as slaves. Seven generations are buried on its soil.This project re-connects Ndoukouman village with the resource that flows beneath its red sands–--water.
Our fundraising efforts and community work over the past three years have resulted in the construction of a new water tower and increasing the capacity of the original tower. Over 1,000 villagers now drink from this source.
Our next phase of Golden Water will include the installation of an additional solar panel for the community's power, enhancing the infrastructure of several older dwellings, and the replacement of antiquated plumbing and cooling systems in communal spaces.
Our Work in the U.S.
Our Village Roots is also working in partnership with other organizations to bring intergenerational healing to Mama Africa’s American descendants.
Our current Maryland-based partnerships include:
Soulful Muslims
Healing groups for African-American Muslims in the aftermath of terrorist attacks against Black people
Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies
Jerusalem’s Daughters - a 5-week healing circle for Muslim, Jewish, and Christian women
The Heart Nest Center for Peace and Healing
Project Big Mama - annual remembrance circles for the lost Black matriarch
Healing in Black - 10-week Mind-body-spirit groups for incarcerated people of African descent
Embracing Buffalo - a series of healing and peacebuilding programs in response to the terrorist attack and murder of ten African-Americans in May 2022.
Dr Sabrina N'Diaye facilitating a healing group for incarcerated women at the Indiana Women's Prison
Healing circle held outside of the Tops massacre in Buffalo, NY
Our Future
Our Village Roots looks forward to expanding its collaborations, paving the way for deeper connections between Mama Africa and her dispersed children.
Future fundraising is planned for the following upcoming projects:
The Return
Stories from the Nest
A workshop series for Black women to access the healing power of storytelling. The project will culminate in an anthology.
Our Story
Our Village Roots was founded by life-long partners, Serigne and Sabrina N’Diaye. Their marriage is a blend of cultures, religions, history, and love. Together, with their young adult daughters, they strive to balance the sometimes hectic pace of American life with the slow, melodic, rhythm of their village heritage.
Serigne N’Diaye landed in New York City from Ndoukouman Village in 1988. Like many immigrants to the US, he dreamt of creating a comfortable life in the US, while also serving his extended family in Africa. For the past decade, Serigne has served as the head chef for the Farm of Peace in Pennsylvania, feeding hundreds of spiritual seekers of Sufism from around the globe. Now semi-retired, he splits his time between feeding his immediate family in Baltimore, and his extended family in Senegal.
Sabrina N’Diaye, born in New York City, and raised in multiple US cities, has been leading communities for over three decades. She is a therapist, storyteller, and peacebuilder, who has traveled the globe, in service to humanity. She is passionate about guiding communities and individuals, back to their hearts in the aftermath of extreme trauma.
Dr. Sabrina collaborated with community leaders in the development of Embracing Buffalo, a series of healing programs following the May 14, 2022 terrorist attack at Tops supermarket. She recently completed a year-long project in Indianapolis, Indiana, teaching group facilitation skills to incarcerated men and women.
The N’Diaye’s co-creation of Our Village Roots has allowed them to live their dreams of serving their community of origin, and their communities of choice–both in Africa and in the US. Read more about Dr. Sabrina’s work here.
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