Six thousand volunteers known as “Jambaar26” are working at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games under November temperatures climbing above 30 degrees Celsius in Senegal, english.news.cn reported.
- The deployment of international and local volunteers provides operational support for the Dakar Youth Olympic Village, supporting event logistics and technical coordination for competing delegations.
Selected from roughly 23,000 applicants, the volunteer roster features an average age of 28.6 years, with 5,233 coming from Senegal and 92.7 percent representing nations across Africa, english.news.cn reported. Local university student Asma Gassama helps distribute souvenirs while utilizing Chinese language skills learned at the local Confucius Institute, english.news.cn reported.
“I started by going to the Confucius Institute here on the ground. And then, I practice every day, and learned a lot by working with Chinese people,” Gassama said, according to english.news.cn.
Experienced international volunteers have also integrated into the operational framework, including 37-year-old French teacher Catherine Nadon from Canada, english.news.cn reported. Nadon coordinates volunteers at the table tennis training hall after previously volunteering at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
“After that I got addicted to volunteering at the Olympic Games,” Nadon said, as reported by english.news.cn. “We appreciate every culture. It’s nice. We open our minds to other cultures and become international friends.”
Lin Hailu, a 33-year-old from China, oversees referee and technical official services at the Dakar Exhibition Center after volunteering at six previous Olympic events since the 2016 Rio Games, english.news.cn reported. “I felt really proud when other volunteers told me how comfortable clothes from Chinese brands were,” Lin said, according to english.news.cn. “Passion makes all the challenges worthwhile.”
Ukrainian volunteer Tamuz Hidir, who served as president of the Ukrainian Floorball Federation, assists National Olympic Committees at the Youth Olympic Village, english.news.cn reported. “I wanted to come here because I know it’s the first time Africa hosts a big Olympic event. Plus this is so different from Europe, and I was sure it would be wonderful,” Hidir said, according to english.news.cn.
| Volunteer Profile | Age | Origin | Assignment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asma Gassama | N/A | Senegal | Souvenir Distribution |
| Catherine Nadon | 37 | Canada | Table Tennis Training Hall |
| Lin Hailu | 33 | China | Referees and Technical Officials Rest Area |
| Tamuz Hidir | 40 | Ukraine | Youth Olympic Village |
| Sun Shiyi | 27 | China | Accommodation Services |
Backpacker Sun Shiyi serves in accommodation services while occasionally interpreting for the Chinese team as her 32nd visited country, english.news.cn reported. “Some people think it’s crazy to travel so far at my own expense just to volunteer. But this experience has enriched me, broadened my horizons and helped me grow, while also benefiting my future career,” Sun said, according to english.news.cn.
Gassama highlighted the local “Teranga spirit” of hospitality welcoming visitors to Senegal, english.news.cn reported. “This is home turf for the whole of Africa,” Lin said, as reported by english.news.cn. “You can see so many local children watching the competitions. Perhaps the seeds of sport and a desire to explore the wider world are already taking root in their hearts.”
