Workcamp Details

Description: The rural exodus and youth migration are important issues in Senegal. The goal of the association “Inter Ententes des Groupements Associés du Sénégal” (made up of 13 sections of the Ententes), is to raise awareness among the local population, mainly young people, about the importance of local and sustainable development, of ensuring longevity of traditions, while not neglecting the contribution of modernity and of giving meaning to peasant work as an source of income but also of personal fulfilment. It’s current missions are to seek technical and financial means to set up: the supply of seeds and fertilizers as credits farmers repay with their harvest; marketing and support for cooperatives and field research for sustainable projects that aim to emancipate young people and women.

Type of Work: To support all this, the National Agency for Integration and Agricultural Development (ANIDA) subsidized the creation of an incubation center with the aim of contributing to food security of population and the eradication of poverty for the households members of the Koumpentoum “Entente”. The center wishes to promote the controlled and sustainable transformation of family farms in order to offer young farmers satisfactory living condition that allow them to stay in their land as economic and social actors. The volunteers will do manual work. Planting and harvesting in the large plantation areas of the center: peppers, sweet potatoes, okra, tomatoes, beans, etc. Volunteers could also be involved in the building of the farm infrastructures.

Study Theme: Agroecology and nature conservation

Accommodation: Volunteers will be divided into small groups among families in the village or, on the site of the center, depending of the work progress.

Language: Basics in French are preferable in order to exchange with local communities

Requirements: For volunteers interested in agroecology, by an immersion experience in a village far from the big capitals and not afraid of manual work in a very hot climate.

Approximate Location: In the village of Diam-Diam, Koumpentoum in eastern Senegal

Notes: Volunteers will also have to pay for accommodation in Dakar before going to the project as well as travel costs to the project site. Volunteers should arrive 1 or 2 days before the beginning of the project. Placement will be done by SCI Belgium. VERY IMPORTANT : the workcamp duration is 4 weeks but the volunteers can also participate for minimum 2 weeks. The total amount of the participation doesn't vary.