Beneath the scorching sun that beats down on Senegal’s savannah, the verdant gardens of Ndem village are a sanctuary. Within a hibiscus fence, rows of vegetables grow under fruit trees. Men and women in technicolour robes dye fabrics and stitch handbags destined for luxury boutiques and furniture companies in Spain, Italy and the United States. They are members of Baye Fall, a branch of Senegal’s Muslim Mouride brotherhood who believe that labour is a form of prayer. In Ndem, they have created an oasis in a region long plagued by drought. A plate made in Ndem can even be found in the White House, a gift from a visiting consultant to former President George W. Bush, one of the NGO’s project managers said. The NGO Ndem Villagers was founded in 1984 to manage myriad development projects. Since then, the group has grown to about 4,600 members who have renewed the landscape with the help of irrigation systems and solar power.
SOURCE: REUTERS
More Stories
What are the Benefits and Costs of Scaling-up the Commercial Production of Bioenergy in Africa?
Faculty of Harvard University and Africa.com Offer Online Course for Entrepreneurs in Food Systems
FTX was Becoming a Force for Normalizing Cryptocurrencies in Africa
Ethiopia Announces Its First Commercial Export of Electricity to Kenya
African Union Calls for Inclusive Tax Regulations
Entrepreneurship Holds the Key to Africa’s Wealth Creation
Creating Africa’s Cocoa Cartel
Harare Shifts the Goal Posts in Farmer Deal
Investing in Nigeria’s Property Boon
UjuziNet is Helping Farmers Better Manage their Operations
Isabel dos Santos Denies Trying to Escape the Law in Angola
Nairobi’s Concerns Halt Possible Export of Baobab