The women of Belel Kelle village have transformed the land from a desert to a lush and thriving garden.
It is always very satisfying to see a beautiful green garden spring seemingly out of nowhere. It’s easy to see the initial benefit, but it can be difficult to understand the other positives that a garden brings to a community. Every once in a while, however, we get a glimpse into the deeper value these gardens bring to their communities.
Belel Kelle is one of our newest gardens, near Senegal’s northern border with Mauritania. One of the hottest regions of the country, it’s hard to believe that anything could grow here. To say that people here are tough is an understatement.
One of the hottest regions in the country, this thermometer shows the ground temperature at over 120 degrees F.
Most make their living as nomadic herders, traveling with their livestock for much of the year. Having a garden in a fixed location is new for the village, but the women here took to it with determination, and in less than a year their garden is yielding harvests that rival established gardens with many more years of experience. It’s so successful that many of the women are choosing to stay in the village year-round rather than leaving with the men to tend the livestock!
The women of Bele Kelle took to the garden with determination, and in less than a year their garden is yielding harvests that rival established gardens with many more years of experience.
“Because there are no resources during the dry season, the majority of the population moves to feed their cattle, but this year, because of the garden, many children stay with their mothers to continue their studies. The school is full of students compared to last year! The garden has brought a big change in this village of Belel Kelle.”
Children now stay in school rather than leaving the village with their families to tend the livestock.
We never know what changes a garden will bring or how communities will use the resources they create from it. Students staying in school is a huge benefit that we never anticipated but are thrilled to see. The people of Belel Kelle are doing a great job, and we are proud to give them the resources to forge their own path to a more prosperous future.
BEFORE: It’s hard to believe that anything could grow here - this is Belel Kelle garden before.
AFTER: In less than a year the garden is yielding harvests that rival established gardens with many more years of experience.