Measuring air pollution in Senegal’s schools

Across Africa, air pollution is a major driver of respiratory disease, but the data to act on it is missing. In Senegal, between the harmattan carrying Saharan dust, an ageing vehicle fleet and open-air waste burning, only a handful of sensors published data, and only in Dakar.

Pilot phase: connected sensors installed in schools in Dakar, Saint-Louis, Diourbel, Thiès, Richard-Toll and Bargny, then a national air-quality workshop on 11 March 2025.

Scale-up: a hackathon with teams of young innovators (Breath4Life, SunuAir, Bybase, AirEduc…), 30 more sensors installed and more than 40 sites maintained, awareness-raising for pupils and teachers on the effects of pollution, a community of practice and a steering committee.

A memorandum of understanding with DIREC (April 2025), an authorisation from the Ministry of National Education covering 7 school academies for the 2025-2026 school year, technical support from ANACIM, an opinion from the Personal Data Protection Commission confirming that sensor data is not personal data, and a partnership with AirGradient.

More than 40 low-cost sensors producing open data: kaikai’s largest project to date.