AME Gourel Diadié vegetable garden

In Tambacounda, Senegal, after the winter crop harvest, farmers sell their produce at rock-bottom prices to pay off debts and meet their basic needs. Starting in April, the lean season begins, during which the price of staple foods can double. Financial hardship is therefore significant for families during this period.

The Mothers' Association (AME) has been established in the Gourel Diadié neighborhood of Tambacounda since 1996. The association has 54 members and 80 supporters. Initially, their meetings led them to create an Economic Interest Group (EIG). Through the AME, the women have undertaken various activities, such as childcare and income-generating activities. They have also created a community fund using their membership fees and profits from their activities, enabling them to invest in collective, less expensive purchases.

Continuing their collective efforts, AME has purchased a one-hectare plot of land to develop a new project. The women involved in the association wish to cultivate market garden crops there. Through these crops, this project aims to increase the purchasing power of mothers, enabling them to support their children's education and nutrition, and to help families remain in their communities by organizing income-generating activities. This project is being implemented by AME in partnership with the Association for International and National Exchanges, which operates in Senegal.