00:00Senegal is currently hosting Africa's first Olympic event as citizens battle
00:05costs of living crisis. The 2026 Dakar Youth Olympics are bringing Africa's
00:10first Olympic event to Senegal but for many residents the excitement is
00:14overshadowed by rising living costs and lost livelihoods. Some say preparation
00:19for the Games have disrupted their livelihoods while others question whether
00:23the money being spent could have been used to address more pressing needs. When
00:27we hear about the sums of money flowing into Senegal to ignite these Games, the
00:32general population and especially those of us in informal sector we are not the
00:35priority despite we should have been helped. But Senegal's cost of living crisis
00:41remains a pressing concern. Youth unemployment is around 23% and many
00:45young people who are working rely on informal sector. Some say the money
00:50should have been used to lower living costs and improve purchasing power. In
00:54terms of spending these expenses are neither mandatory nor essential for the
00:59Senegalese people who believe these funds could have been better spent elsewhere
01:03for instance on lowering the cost of living and boosting the purchasing power
01:07of the average citizen. The Senegalese government has committed about 60 million
01:13dollars to the event including a 20 million for sport venue renovation. With
01:18Senegal facing a debt crisis many families are still struggling to make ends meet. There
01:26are too many problems we have too many worries in the family. Even though this is a very
01:33important event we are dealing with the issues of our own that aren't being resolved. Most
01:41people here really don't care about this event because there are so many problems in Senegal from
01:46the cost of food to the basic realities of life. The games are hosting around 2700 athletes in Dakar and
01:55nearby cities and run through November 13. Officials say they will create opportunities for young people through learning and volunteer
02:02programs.
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