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Author: John Leary, Executive Director One of my heroes is Loret Miller Ruppe, who reminded us that being at peace is not just the absence of war. Peace and independence are exactly what Ndeye sought when she chased down Trees for the Future (TREES) Technician, Omar Ndao three years ago. She had seen with her own … Continued
Although the Baobab (Adansonia) is not a tree that we plant in our Forest Gardens, it is one that we see frequently throughout our projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, it can be found a lot around our Forest Gardens in Senegal. The tree has many nicknames and is in our collection of “Amazing Trees” because … Continued
Cashews are one of the crops grown in our Forest Gardens that truly fascinate us. Many people are unaware that cashews grow on trees, none the less, ripen on top of a fruit, often referred to as a cashew “apple”. The amazing cashew nut, and the tree it grows on, are key players in our … Continued
Malik doesn’t know about the Sustainable Development Goals: But he’s meeting them. Decades of backbreaking subsistence farming had left Malik Ndao and his family hungry and hopeless. He struggled for years, but the barren land with dying soils never produced enough to feed his children. Now he has a brighter future. A future filled with … Continued
World Soil Day is December 5th More than 1.5 billion people in the world are dependent on degraded land, and about three quarters (74%) of them are impoverished¹. For 250 million of these people, their plight has a name—desertification². Desertification³, or land degradation occurring in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas, is driven by both … Continued
Sidy Ba lives in Senegal. He’s had a forest garden for the past 3 years with a mix of eggplant and several types of trees. He sells 200 pounds of eggplant per week and it’s his main source of income. Sidy Ba’s forest garden also includes Papaya trees, thorny Acacia trees (to protect from intruding livestock) and pigeon pea trees, … Continued
“Danga dof,” is a phrase in the Wolof language that Mariama Ndao heard countless times over her first two years in the Trees for the Future training program as she pulled water from an 80 foot well and carried ten gallon tubs on her head to water her newly planted jujube trees. As Mariama, in … Continued
Ousmane Willane’ Story There are many reasons why Ousmane and his family are celebrating and we hope you will too! Just look at the fruits of his labors. Just look at the size of the trees he has grown over the past 4 years! As we celebrate our 26th birthday on August 18, we’re also proud … Continued
Mate Mbaye’s Story Did you know that young people in Senegal are so desperate that they’re crossing deserts and oceans in search of a better life? You can only imagine the dangers. Some never make it there alive! But, in their mind, risking death crossing the Sahara and the Mediterranean beats surviving another year as … Continued