A letter of gratitude & community celebration from Senegal

A letter of gratitude & community celebration from Senegal by Ousmane Aly PAME, PhD, President of GEN Africa.

by Ousmane Aly PAME, PhD, President of GEN Africa

Please join four communities in the North of Senegal in celebrating the success of the permaculture and agroforestry project we have been implementing in the past three years with the support of May East. The project was funded by UK Aid and technically supported by CIFAL Scotland, Gaia Education and Le Partenariat NGO. With a modest budget, miracles happened in the desert: more healthy food, more income, more knowledge, more care for our ecosystems and exchanges. Many villages, municipalities, decision makers and NGOs have learned from this unique experience. More communities would like to replicate it in their areas.

On Saturday, along with Le Partenariat NGO, CIFAL Scotland, REDES and the representatives of the beneficiary communities, we organised a conference to showcase the project. Among the participants, were: an advisor to the President of Senegal, mayors, researchers, NGOs, Environmental students and many journalists. The event was covered by radios, tvs and newspapers such as ‘Le Soleil‘ which is distributed in all official spaces across Senegal. This has given the initiative great visibility and appreciation. You can read online echoes of the event (in French) here.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to May East, the CIFAL team, UK Aid, Gaia Education and Le Partenariat. This success story will contribute to a change of socioeconomic paradigm in the region. More authorities, local actors and communities have shown genuine interest in the initiative.

With renewed gratitude,

Ousmane