SECURING BIODIVERSITY AREAS AND WATER SUPPLY

This project takes place in areas where widespread poverty is compounded by several other problems: unemployment, flooding, unsanitary conditions, precarious living conditions, and the distance between schools and some students' homes, etc. Today, despite a location
In the capital, Dakar, access to water poses enormous difficulties in maintaining crops in good condition.

The initial "Biodiversity For Schools" project began in 12 high schools in Dakar and 1 high school in Bambey, in the Djourbel region of western Senegal. It aims to create vegetable gardens to combat poverty in schools, promote the inclusion of girls in education, and cultivate environmental awareness so that young people respect their environment.

The various high schools are self-managed through independent steering committees that oversee the maintenance, production, and sale of produce by the students. Indeed, the importance of this project in the lives of the beneficiaries is undeniable. These school spaces, previously used as dumping grounds and squatted by passersby, have been transformed into market gardens, becoming spaces for education and social cohesion.

The established vegetable gardens face challenges related to safety and access to water. At the project's outset, low water flow rates were observed. To ensure sufficient water for the gardens' activities, retention basins built at some high schools must be filled at night. Constructing boreholes, installing irrigation systems, and securing the existing infrastructure are therefore essential for the long-term viability of these gardens.