Dall Diam

Dall Diam is an association which tries to raise the standard of living in some villages of the Casamance region of Senegal in collaboration with the villagers via sustainable development projects. Standard of living means enough food supply and security, water supply, ability to do things independently, accessibility to basic health care.

The first pilot project, the Baobab (tree of life) project, starts with water supply, the availability of fresh water for some villages as drinkable water and for irrigation of kitchen gardens and rice fields. It concerns the villages in the mangroves (bionomes, big ecosystems you only find in the tropical areas with tides). The problem is that villages in those regions experience very negative influences of the climate changes and essentially the increase of sea levels. That means that farmlands in that region are endangered by salt water. Even wells become saline, so at long-term the irrigation of crops is endangered too.

The situation in the mangrove region is that serious, that food supply in that region becomes a real problem.

At this time, the villagers of Kachouane are very busy in throwing up natural banks to protect their rice fields. In Kachouane there is a big impluvium  (rainwater reservoir) with a capacity of 350.000 liters of rainwater. The impluvium was built in 2007 together with Spanish staff members. But it leaks and there is only one tap available which is out of use. We have the intention to repair the impluvium together with the villagers and install several taps. At this time, we are looking for the materials and all the work has certainly to be accomplished before the rain season 2021.

For the village of Kachouane this are the priorities: The rice fields and the farmlands has to be protected and secured. With this pilot project we hope, to offer them a sustainable support. At this time, our staff member Fons is in Senegal and will participate in all activities. As soon as it is possible I join him to help and have contacts with the villagers to look for further essential needs.

Dall Diam - Lindenstraat 24a - 3140 Keerbergen

Pictures