Leaders of Senegal’s Artisan Professional Organizations Commit to Sustainable and Inclusive Social Protection
In three months, the National Social Mutual for Artisans of Senegal (MSNAS), with support from the ILO and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), organized workshops in 12 regions of Senegal to raise awareness among professional organizations (OPA) about social protection.
27 October 2025
Dakar, (ILO News) – As part of efforts to extend social protection coverage to the informal sector, the National Social Mutual for Artisans of Senegal (MSNAS), with support from the ILO and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), organized a series of workshops over a three-month period in 12 regions of Senegal. The objective was to raise awareness among leaders of professional artisan organizations (OPA) about social protection, share strategies for mobilizing internal resources, and develop roadmaps for implementation.
Social protection is no longer a luxury but a necessity for workers in the informal economy. Aware of this challenge, MSNAS—with technical and financial support from the ILO and GIZ—conducted three awareness and strategy-sharing missions targeting OPA leaders in 12 key regions of Senegal: Matam, Saint-Louis, Louga, Thiès, Kédougou, Tambacounda, Kaffrine, Diourbel, Ziguinchor, Sédhiou, Kolda, and Fatick.
Held in August 2025, these workshops strengthened the capacities of artisan leaders on the fundamentals of social protection, the technical parameters of the mutual scheme, and endogenous financing mechanisms to ensure mass and systematic enrollment of artisans. The objective is clear: to make OPAs active relays in enrolling their members into MSNAS.
"Thanks to this workshop, I understood that social protection is a form of security for us artisans. The mutual fund will allow artisans to access healthcare and meet their families’ health needs more easily and promptly. We will mobilize our members to join the mutual," said Marieme Wade, President of the Women Processors of Mboumba - Podor.
Established in 2021 and operational since February 2024, MSNAS offers a simplified scheme currently providing health benefits, with plans to include retirement, maternity, and work accident coverage in the near future. Membership starts at 2,000 FCFA, with annual contributions adjustable based on individual needs.
The experience in Kaffrine, where village groups pooled their resources to join collectively, was presented as an inspiring model. This collective approach is now promoted as a strategic lever to expand social coverage to artisans.
The results are promising: over 530 OPAs have been trained, and most have committed to mobilizing their members for enrollment. Agreements are being prepared between MSNAS and national umbrella organizations to formalize these commitments.
"The mutual is truly beneficial for vulnerable groups because it allows us to take care of ourselves more easily and with our own means. This represents a form of independence for us. Today, we will advocate to the National Association of Persons with Disabilities of Senegal, of which we are members, so that their artisans also join the mutual," said Diaw Gueye, President of the Women’s Section of Persons with Motor Disabilities in Saint-Louis.
Outlook and Recommendations:
MSNAS plans to provide close support to OPAs, including coaching, administrative follow-up, and systematization of contributions.
This initiative marks a decisive step toward inclusive social protection, driven by the artisans themselves, for a more equitable and resilient society. It strengthens human capital and serves as a powerful tool to reduce the socio-economic impacts of crises and disasters.
"I am very happy to participate in this workshop organized by the ILO, which we had been eagerly awaiting. Artisans face many challenges in accessing healthcare, and joining this mutual is a real opportunity to address that. Thanks to the awareness efforts led by the presidents of artisan professional organizations (OPA), information will circulate effectively, allowing all artisans in the city to join the mutual and benefit from its advantages for themselves and their families," said Saer Fassé, Master Trainer, National Metallurgy Network of Senegal, Richard Toll.