Hi everyone!  My friends Geoff and David (volunteers in my region) have come up with a fantastic project, and now a bunch of us are joining in!   All the details and descriptions are in the video below, and as a side-note, yes – I am participating as well – my name just missed the video cut.

Either way, you should definitely WATCH the video, laugh at our miserable donkey-riding skills, and if you feel so inclined, DONATE!  If you do want to donate though, please be sure to read the information and instructions from Geoff and David that I’ve listed below the video. Enjoy!

About your donation:
Volunteers, in conjunction with Peace Corps Senegal’s country director, have established a new fund entitled the Gardens of Moringa Fund. Monies donated to this fund will be made available to community groups, women’s groups, and school gardens across all of Senegal for small garden improvements (fence repairs, basic tools, protective equipment, seed bank materials etc) or the introduction of new gardening technologies (hand crank well pumps, treadle pumps, improved variety seeds, etc) that do not exceed $150.

This fund will be available to all Peace Corps Senegal Volunteers to do what they do best – assess at the community level the most motivated and deserving of groups or schools within their own community. A 20% financial community contribution per project will be mandatory to ensure a sense of ownership and increased responsibility on the part of the local community. Senegal’s country Director will personally assess the merits of all applications submitted to the Peace Corps office in Dakar and make all final decisions regarding the acceptances or rejections of those applications.

Upon the successful dispersal of funds for small garden improvements or technological innovations the nearest volunteer to the receiving community group, women’s group, or school garden will be required to cultivate an intensive bed of Moringa Oliefera for the purpose of leaf production and consumption as well as hold an informational session for local community members that will cover the same information session for local community members that will cover the same information as that discussed in the 13 towns and health posts of the Kolda Donkey Rally. After the successful completion of these steps and the appropriate documentation has been provided to the Peace Corps Senegal office, Peace Corps Volunteers will then be allowed to apply for additional funding provided Gardens of Moringa Fund under the same parameters previously mentioned.

How to donate:

If you’re interested in supporting our efforts, please visit the following website: Senegal Country Fund Website – you MUST designate the donation to the “Gardens of Moringa Fund” in the comments section of this page.

1- Enter the amount you are willing to donate in the box on the right side of your screen, 2- Click DONATE, 3- Fill out required information, 4- since this donation will be going to the general Senegal country fund IT IS CRITICAL  YOU DESIGNATE THE DONATION TO THE GARDENS OF MORINGA FUND IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS PAGE! 5- Give someone a hug, you deserve it :) Your financial support of this project would represent both your support of our goals to eliminate malnutrition here in Senegal as well as your support of Peace Corps Senegal’s abilities to effectively identify and assist those most in need of your assistance.

Thank you,

David Shames, Geoff Burmeister