Around 400 kilometers away from Dakar, Senegal’s capital city, is the village of Bambali, which is where Mane lives. There are only about 2,000 people living in the village.

The village is on the shore of the Casamance River and is surrounded by old houses, wooden fences, and lots of mango trees. Fishing and farming are the primary occupations of the locals. French is the primary language for all villagers, as it is also Senegal’s main language.

Mane has constructed a school, a large hospital, and a mosque in Bambali. The hospital holds personal significance for Mane, as his father passed away when he was just 11 due to a lack of medical facilities.

 

The mosque that Mane built was influenced by his father, who was the Imam of the village’s previous mosque. Senegal has a population of over 15 million, with more than 95% of the people practicing Islam. Mane’s house features a well inside it, providing the villagers with access to water.