‘Marfil’ Tactical Air Detachment Delivers Humanitarian Aid to two Child and Youth Protection Centres

•  Spanish personnel deliver donations from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria as a demonstration of teamwork and synergy between civil organisations and the Armed Forces in Senegal

The ‘Marfil’ Tactical Air Detachment (DAT), as part of its deployment in Senegal, has coordinated the delivery of two donations from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to centres dedicated to the care of vulnerable children in the city of Mbour, south of Dakar.

These actions, carried out in close collaboration with Canary Islands entities, civil personnel, and military stationed in the African country, represent the generation of synergies between society and the Armed Forces for the benefit of those most in need.

The first donation was directed to the Maison d’Écoute, managed by the Farrah Foundation, an organisation based in Gran Canaria that has been running an integrated programme to combat child exploitation in Mbour since 2018. The project supports an average of 3,500 talibé children and street minors, providing them with access to healthcare, hygiene, literacy, digital training, and psychosocial support.

The donation, transported from Spain, included materials for the training of Senegalese minors, which were previously collected through solidarity campaigns organised on the island and funded by the ‘Cabildo’ of Gran Canaria, the City Council of Teror, and the Foundation's own funds. The responsible individuals at the child protection centre in Senegal expressed their gratitude to all those who made this donation possible, saying it ‘will truly make a significant difference in our work here’.

The second donation was delivered to the Pouponnière shelter in Mbour, which provides comprehensive care—from neonatal to adolescent stages—to orphaned babies, abandoned children, and minors in extreme insecurity. This charitable initiative was promoted by personnel from the Alert and Control Group (GRUALERCON) of the Spanish Air and Space Force, based at the Gando Air Base in Gran Canaria. Two members of the group, Brigadier Achimencey and Sergeant 1^st Class Yeray—currently deployed in Dakar as part of the 48^th Contingent of the ‘Marfil’ Detachment—led the collection of material among their colleagues. This aid was sorted and delivered by the detachment's personnel, who also assisted with basic maintenance tasks at the centre's facilities.

Both deliveries were made possible by utilising available space on a logistical support flight from the Spanish Air and Space Force, conducted by a T-21 (CASA C-295) aircraft from Wing 35. The aircraft, which originated from the Getafe Air Base, picked up the cargo at the Gando Air Base before transporting it to the ‘Marfil’ Detachment, where Spanish personnel were responsible for distributing the donations to the respective centres. According to the ‘Marfil’ Detachment commander, Colonel Enrique Moro, ‘it is a great satisfaction to be a link in the chain that makes so much good possible’.

These actions reaffirm the ‘Marfil’ Tactical Air Detachment's commitment to the local population and its dedication to service beyond its operational duties, also strengthening the ties between Spain and Senegal from a social, solidarity, and cooperative perspective.

‘Marfil’ Tactical Air Detachment

The ‘Marfil’ Tactical Air Detachment (DAT) is part of the Support Operation (A/M) and is composed of personnel from the Spanish Air and Space Force. Its operating base is the ‘Escale Aéronautique Commandant LEMAITRE’, located within the French Elements in Senegal (EFS) facilities at Blaise Diagne International Airport, in the town of Thiès.

Since its establishment in January 2013, the ‘Marfil’ DAT has maintained a permanent presence in Senegal, being a clear example of the Spanish Armed Forces' commitment to regional and international security. Its primary mission is to provide tactical and logistical air transport, as well as aerial refuelling, whenever capabilities permit. These activities are carried out under the operational direction of the Operations Command (MOPS) and are aimed at supporting the fight against terrorism and reinforcing stability in the Sahel's strategic environment. Additionally, the detachment provides support to transiting Spanish aircraft, both from the Air and Space Force and the Civil Guard, which operate from this base on surveillance, irregular immigration control, and anti-illicit trafficking missions.

Currently, the DAT is composed of around 15 military personnel from various units of the Spanish Air and Space Force, notably the Aerial Deployment Support Squadron (EADA in Spanish) and the Alert and Control Group (GRUALERCON in Spanish). Periodically, these personnel are reinforced by members of Wing 35^th , especially during T-21 aircraft deployments.