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On April 21, 2026, La Guilde brought together project leaders from associations, international volunteers, partners, and also curious individuals, on the occasion of the Guild Counter of April, dedicated to international solidarity initiatives which we like to call "Microprojects".
One conviction united them: micro-projects are not "small" projects, but rather concrete, human-scale levers to address major environmental, social and economic challenges.
A look back at an evening rich in testimonials and commitments.
In a context of questioning development aid and budget cuts, La Guilde wanted to use a special event to give a voice to those working closest to the ground. The challenge: to show that behind each micro-project lies a precise, rooted, and often transformative response that goes far beyond the local issues it addresses.
Amazon rainforests, sharks in the Gulf of Guinea, beekeeping in Casamance, an art school in Tambacounda… These seemingly disparate subjects all reflect a commitment from associations, primarily run by volunteers, to take action with communities where the needs are greatest, with limited resources but where the impact is very real.
The evening began with a testimony from’Esmeralda Guzman, President of the’SelvaViva association ('living forest'), which acts in Puerto Guzman in southwestern Colombia, in the heart of the Amazon. In this territory facing deforestation, extractive activities and social tensions, thanks to a long-standing partnership with the ItarKa Foundation, Young people who "can still change things" were trained in environmental education through audiovisual production..
Between 300 and 1200 young people are made aware each year in Colombia, Germany and France thanks to the actions of the association, and in particular the productions made by young Colombians, disseminated on a larger scale.
In partnership with ASTER Bretagne, The SelvaViva association and the ItarKa foundation are joining forces around a new project that has been emerging for the past few months., «Cana Nova, decent housing,» aiming to create homes from local wood for low-income families. Diego, a volunteer sent by La Guilde as part of the V-Amazonie program, is on site to support the research being carried out on construction materials.
Then head towards the archipelago of Sao Tome and Principe with Hugues de Kerdrel, co-founder of the Over the Swell association and founder of the William Mission, and named in 2026 to the top 50 of "those who are changing the world" by the Explorer's Club of New York.
With the mobilization of fishermen, children and local authorities, The association works towards the protection of whale sharks and hammerhead sharks through the William Mission. An animal tagging project is underway to collect information on these little-known and endangered species. The association is also working alongside organizations such as the Sea Foundation to establish a marine protected area in the Gulf of Guinea, a migratory zone for marine megafauna.
Because sustainable development isn't just about protecting the environment. It's also about... inextricably linked to acting on the social and economic conditions of populations, particularly young people and women.
The second part of the evening highlighted two Senegalese projects led by Charlotte Bour of the’LAAFI association France, And Bocar Niang of the’Senegalese association Free label.
Beekeeping is a way to address a multifaceted problem: (political)social, economic, and environmental. These are three interconnected pillars. If we don't address these issues separately, we'll have to close down. - Charlotte Bour, LAAFI
LAAFI, created about thirty years ago, it has specializing in beekeeping. A very strong link with the Burkina Faso has been established, where hundreds of cooperatives now produce 250 tonnes of honey per year. This association has also been accompanying the’Women's empowerment through beekeeping in Casamance (Senegal) thanks to the SENAPI project conducted with the APISEN association. Mangrove protection, cooperative structuring, training women in beekeeping, local sales: the three pillars of sustainable development are inseparable.
Free label, founded by Bocar Niang, created Tamba School of Art in Tambacounda, a crossroads city of cultures in Senegal. A free school that offers young people with limited access to arts education the opportunity to become professionals. Through training and meetings with national and international artists, the association helps them sell their works, exhibit them, and reflect together on art… It also develops the Griot.te.s Museum, The first museum in Tambacounda, scheduled to open in December 2026, will allow young people, in particular, to exhibit their art. Young people are also actively involved in environmental issues, notably through the creation of sculptures made from recycled tires and by participating in reforestation projects.
Three key ideas emerged from this evening:
A microproject is not a "small" project. It is a human-scale project, rooted in reality, co-constructed with local populations and stakeholders, which always touches on the three pillars of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental) and which has a very strong local impact.
There is no age limit for taking action. Young audiovisual producers in the Amazon, children drawing and protecting megafauna in Sao-Tomé, young artists in Tambacounda, women beekeepers in Casamance, but also volunteers of all ages living in France: all are agents of transformation, on their scale, together.
Micro-projects are an excellent investment. The cost-impact ratio of micro-projects is remarkable, especially in a context of reduced public development aid: low operating costs, project leaders often volunteering, communities involved from the outset, an ideal size for innovation and testing.
A big thank you to Esmeralda, Hugues, Charlotte and Bocar for their testimonies, to the whole team mobilized for this evening, as well as to the committed public, for bringing international solidarity to life.
