Regional director, Jon Cassel (far left), meets with local officials to identify the ideal location for the project. Pictured: Burkina Faso gardens. Continual water supply from a nearby well ensures year-round harvesting and steady income for villagers.

DENTIADI, Senegal - Converting Africa’s dry lands into fertile soil is no easy task. But add a water well, some fertilizer and a group of local caretakers, and a green oasis of fruits and vegetables emerges from the dusty landscape.

What began as a successful garden project two years ago in Burkina Faso will soon be implemented in the West-African village of Dentiadi, population of 4,000. Like the Burkina model, the goal is simple: create a self-sustaining project that supports and feeds the local economy. And in this case, quite literally.

“The garden will be tended to by local women who will each have an individual patch to farm,” said Jon Cassel, OBI regional director in Senegal. “They will water their plot and grow fruit and vegetables to sell and eat.”

Plans are underway to begin construction of a large water well to irrigate the proposed garden site as well as provide potable drinking water for the community. Thanks to a continual supply of water from the well, the garden will be able to produce food year-round, thus allowing the project to be self-sustaining, Cassel said.

With the Burkina garden project as well as the sewing center and fish farm in Senegal, this will be the fourth OBI-funded micro-enterprise project for West Africa.

“It is a perfect addition to the well-rounded variety of projects in the country,” Cassel said.

Outside of Africa, OBI is funding other micro-enterprise ventures such as goat projects in Bulgaria, sewing centers in India, technical courses in Costa Rica , and learning centers in Ukraine.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

This microenterprise venture is one of many Operation Blessing projects touching lives around the world. You can be a part of improving the quality of life for impoverished communities by supporting these and other life-changing programs.

 

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