Project Launch: 12-29-14

The Daara Malika is a grade-school in Malika, Senegal. Within the school grounds, there is a trade school, health clinic, garden and chicken farm, which are all owned and operated by the school with support form local community members. Produce from the garden is sold at a local market, generating income for the community farmers who work the land and revenue to be reinvested back into the school. The school serves 150 local students as well as 30 boarding students who are selected to live at the school on a needs basis. The school sits on top of a hill, directly across the street from Senegal's largest garbage dump. It is an oasis for many students and other young people living in this harsh peri-urban environment. It offers a community space for local youth to study and play in a protected area with shade and trees.

 

Currently, only half of the school’s vegetable and fruit tree garden is being utilized due to limited resources and the time constraint of watering the garden by hand. This project will lead to the installation of an advanced water irrigation system and training program. The project will mechanize the laborious and time consuming watering process by supplying a motor, pump, hose and basin to Daara Malika. The project also aims to educate students, as well as farmers, in high-efficiency watering practices. The goal is to educate, through planned demonstration training, a wide array of community members and ultimately bring the community closer to economic and food security. This project aims to fully utilize the land available and in turn, generate greater income for the school, empowering its employees and educating the students and community about the benefits of water conservation techniques.

 

Project Update

The pump/motor system has been designed and built, and the community is working on installing it. Once completed, the demonstration trainings will begin.