Giving Thanks: "Just waking up and seeing the garden is soothing."

As we move into a season of giving thanks, we celebrate the successes and accomplishments of our partners in Senegal: students are focusing on their studies, healthcare workers are stepping in for their communities, and our women’s cooperative gardens are feeding entire villages!

Dickel Sow, the Secretary General of the Mbantou Croissement Women’s Garden.

Recently Dickel Sow, the Secretary General of the Mbantou Croissement Women’s Garden, shared with us the transformation she is seeing in her village:

"I’m going to talk about something that I appreciate, that I really have to say. Because I witnessed it myself, it's not something I heard about. I saw it with my own eyes. So welcome, Andando! We are honored by your presence; it's a pleasure. Because you inspire us to grow.

Because when you plant a garden in a village, it's bound to grow. That way, everyone can enjoy it. The same goes for a health clinic; it also promotes development. As for fish farming, we had only heard about it. And finally, it happened."

Releasing young fingerlings into the Mbantou Croissement Garden fish basin.

A big thumbs up from the women of Mbantou Croissement!

"Especially since we live in a dry area. The locals didn't believe that fish farming would be possible in this area. But thank God, everything went well. What's more, Andando is very helpful; they do all this thanks to God. They could have shown their achievements on the radio or on TV, but they didn't.

That's one of the things we love about Andando. They don't show off, and they keep their promises."

Dickel Sow (right), along with other members from the Mbantou Croissement Garden, showing off a few of the fish recently harvested.

"They gave it their all because they believe in development and prosperity. With our work in the garden, we consume the produce, give it away, and also sell it.

Whereas before, we had to go elsewhere to find vegetables. What's more, the products are organic, without fertilizers. Apart from rice and oil, we have everything we need in the garden. And that has a big impact on us."

Fish grown in the garden provide sustainable protein while also fertilizing the other garden crops.

"We have everything we need in the garden." Carrots, onions, peppers and limes - all grown from in garden - are used to prepare a meal called Yassa!

"Just waking up and seeing the garden is soothing."

"Every morning, we women gather in the garden. If one of us is missing, we notice. And that's what matters most. It's all thanks to Andando. Here we are today, giving thanks to God. God granted our wishes, and we are happy now."

On behalf of all of our partner communities and our Staff and Board we wish you a joyful and restful Thanksgiving season. Jaama rek (peace to you) and your loved ones!

Joy is overflowing as the women from Mbantou Croissement celebrate a recent harvest by dancing.

Video: Mbantou Croissement First Fish Harvest

In case you missed it, the women of Mbantou Croissement celebrated their FIRST fish harvest in April! By integrating aquaculture into the gardens, they are seeing an increase in yield of nutrient-dense food with the added benefit of high-quality fish - all with a ZERO net increase in water usage! Special thank you to Tomberg Family Philanthropies for funding the expansion of aquaculture to new gardens.

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From the Director - Sept 2025

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Andando is now a two-time finalist, after being nominated in the Community Building category in 2023. This year we are a finalist in the Hunger and Poverty category. Wish us luck at the awards ceremony on October 7! (Pictured: Crystal and Garrison at the 2023 .ORG Impact Awards.)

Let’s start with some wonderful news. In case you haven’t heard, Andando has been named a finalist for the 2025 .ORG Impact Awards! Out of nearly 3,000 organizations worldwide, we are one of just 35 selected. This recognition is a powerful reminder that the work happening in small villages across Senegal is resonating far beyond their borders. What we are building together is world-class and deserves recognition.

This honor comes as we step into a new season of growth. With the support of Tomberg Family Philanthropies, we are breaking ground this month on new aquaculture basins in the Keur Ngor and Sare Diouma women’s gardens. These cooperatives only recently reached their savings goal, and it’s thrilling to be able to support their momentum by adding fish farming as the next step in their journey toward resilience.

Early construction on the new aquaculture basins in Sare Diouma and Keur Ngor.

Much progress has been made on the new aquaculture basins in Sare Diouma and Keur Ngor, with completion expected in just six weeks.

Further north, in Senobowal, the recent completion of the deep borehole well is unlocking a wave of possibilities. Women and children can remain home rather than migrating with cattle, which means kids can stay in school. We’re now able to move forward with a women’s garden there as well, along with a village woodlot and massive reforestation initiative. Thousands of trees will provide food, shade, and restored soil, helping this remote community on the edge of the Sahara to confront the worsening effects of climate change.

Before: Students at Ndiedieng Primary School sat four to a desk but with their new classrooms on the way this will soon be a thing of the past!

After: The new classrooms in Ndiédieng, along with bathrooms and water taps, are well on their way to being completed before school starts. These new additions will ease overcrowding and give every student a safe, supportive place to learn.

And in education, two major projects are nearly complete. The new classrooms at Ndiédieng Primary School and Guédé Village High School are on track to open before the school year begins, creating safe and inspiring spaces for students to learn and thrive.

None of this would have been possible without your support. Together we are saying yes to communities who are working tirelessly to build a better future for their children and the world around them.

Enjoy live music & a true taste of Senegal with a dinner designed with Senegalese celebrity chef, Pierre Thiam!

Can’t make it in-person? That’s OK! You can still participate ONLINE!

More Details here

Beyond the Harvest: Women Are Building Lasting Prosperity

A woman from Wouro Madiw displays the dried moringa powder and peas she now sells at the market.

It’s easy to see the physical transformation a garden brings. Dusty, barren fields quickly become verdant oases overflowing with vegetables and fruit trees. What’s harder to see from afar are the quieter revolutions taking place inside participating villages. Beyond the fences, these gardens are reshaping local economies, creating prosperity that reaches far beyond the harvest.

This year, that transformation has reached a new high. Together, Andando’s partner women’s gardens have built collective savings of $60,953! That’s group savings in addition to the individual profits earned by garden members. In rural Senegal, where access to capital is scarce, this is extraordinary! In the hands of women who have long been excluded from financial decision-making, it is unprecedented.

The women of Wouro Madiw have surpassed their goal, saving more than twice the target amount, with an impressive $4,280 now in their account.

These reserves mean the gardens can manage their own year-to-year operations and repairs without waiting for outside assistance. They also open the door to new opportunities. Some cooperatives are now transforming their harvests into dried or preserved products that command higher prices. Others have launched microfinance associations, lending from their savings so members can start businesses or cover urgent expenses. What began as a source of food security has become a platform for growing women’s leadership, innovation, and resilience in each community.

The president of the Keur Pathe Malick cooperative signs the 50/50 cost sharing agreement after reaching the savings goal.

When Ndiawara’s pump failed last year, the cooperative’s savings allowed them to replace it immediately and keep the garden running.

In the harsh environment of the Sahel, setbacks are inevitable.

What’s different now is that these women are prepared. With savings in hand and strong cooperatives to lead the way, they are shifting the future of their villages, making these gardens, and women’s leadership, a permanent part of each community.

Sare Diouma’s cooperative reached their savings goal earlier this year, making them eligible to expand their garden with aquaculture basins.

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Loans, Trees, and the Power to Stay

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This summer Andando distributed our annual allotment of nearly 200 microloans to farmers in the Keur Soce region. Year after year, this program quietly multiplies its impact, with the same funds reloaned repeatedly to help families make the most of Senegal’s short rainy season.

Take the Village Chief of Sama Toucouleur, Mr. Hamath Ka, for example:

With his loan, Mr. Ka purchased a seeder and plow, allowing him to plant on time instead of waiting to borrow equipment.

“Before joining this project, every year I would take my seeds and my horse, and I would go to the fields to wait for those who had finished plowing to lend us their equipment. Now people borrow these things from me.”
— Hamath Ka, Village Chief of Sama Toucouleur & Microloan Recipient

Having the right equipment means farmers can react quickly when the rains arrive, ensuring stronger harvests. Yet changing rainfall patterns make farming in the Sahel increasingly unpredictable.

Mr. Ka explains: “The harvest depends on the rain because sometimes it can be abundant, other times not. But with trees, it’s much more profitable.”

Across the region, farmers are planting trees alongside their field crops to naturally improve yields.

Andando’s programs are shaped by the voices of our partners, which is why we have expanded tree production over the past two years to respond to these needs.

This year’s microloan recipients received training in restoring their land by planting and protecting native trees.

A farmer from Haffé, another loan recipient, tends his personal nursery of more than 1,000 trees started with Andando’s support.

Today, every microloan recipient also receives trees and training in Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration, helping to build long-term financial and ecological resilience, which reduces the pressure to migrate abroad. Mr. Ka is a passionate advocate for building a future for his children right here in Senegal.

Mr. Ka dreams of the day when he can fill his fields with trees so they will be as green year-round as the Sama Toucouleur Women’s Garden.

“If we protect our fields together with trees, we won’t need to go to Europe to find wealth because we already have it here. The wealth is here, the land is here. All we need is access to water and to protect our fields, and everything will be fine. That’s why I would like help to have a field full of trees, so my family and I can work together.”
— Hamath Ka, Village Chief of Sama Toucouleur & Microloan Recipient

Bathroom Rennovation at Guede Village High School

Just a few of the students and teachers at Guede Village High School who are benefiting from recent bathroom renovations.

726 students at Guede Village High School are enjoying brand new bathrooms thanks to a renovation project funded by Altrusa International of Albany, Oregon, Altrusa International of Pendleton, Oregon, Altrusa International Foundation, Inc., and other Andando Donors!

School administrators alerted us to the need to repair two dilapidated bathroom facilities that were non-functioning, which contributed to high absenteeism among students, especially young girls.

Before: The bathrooms were non-functioning, but fortunately, they had solid construction so they could be renovated.

After completely renovating the restrooms, replacing the roof, and applying a fresh coat of paint, students can now use restrooms at school rather than having to go home or elsewhere for their needs.

Before: Much of the interior of the bathrooms needed repair or replacement.

After renovations, a new roof, and a fresh coat of paint, the bathrooms are ready for students to use.

Thankfully, the bathrooms had solid construction so contractors could renovate the existing structure. They evaluated what could be repaired and what needed to be completely replaced. Any broken toilets, light fixtures, or plumbing was replaced. The existing roofs were removed and replaced with brand new metal roofs with an updated design, and both of the buildings got a fresh, bright coat of paint. Access to sanitary bathrooms has a huge impact on students' quality of life and can help increase student attendance and enrollment.

Racky, Student and Communication Officer for the school government

“Thank you for coming to our school and providing assistance, especially with the restrooms. We really needed that because students were leaving the school to go outside to use the bathroom. And it was really risky with the road that crosses the school, the coming and going. It was very risky.

We are truly grateful for your presence. Your hard work and dedication have made a significant impact on us. We are really happy and from the bottom of our hearts, we want our school to be the best of all schools.”

With improved learning facilities, students are happier, healthier, and better equipped for success. Already since the renovation of the bathrooms, student enrollment has increased from 632 to 726! Students and teachers are incredibly grateful for their new bathrooms.

Abdou, Student at Guede Village High School who dreams of becoming a lawyer

“We truly commend you for your support and commitment to ensuring that students learn and have a better future. We want to thank you for the support you've given for the toilets, and the commitment you showed, it warms our hearts for the future, it will make a difference. We are doing our best and thank you.”

Guédé Village High School is strategically located as it serves some of the poorest, most remote villages in the region. It is a vital community resource and bridge for students to overcome intergenerational cycles of poverty. The Ministry of Education has identified Guédé Village High School as a priority because of its role in the holistic development of the region. Renovating the bathrooms is just the first of many substantial infrastructure upgrades they hope to complete over the next two years, including building seven new classrooms, a computer lab, an aquaculture integrated STEM Teaching Garden, and physical education infrastructure and equipment.

Mr. Watt, Principal of Guede Village High School

“Senegal is part of the Global South, where there is underdevelopment and, although there is education, the rate is very low. It's true that efforts are being made, but it's not enough. When these partners come to help us, it positively impacts the quality of learning tools. So, we really thank all the partners who invest, and we call on them to do even more, because we are indeed going to start building more classrooms.”

You can support the students at Guede Village High School as they work hard to further their education and build a brighter future for themselves. Donate today!

Donate to Build classrooms

From Barren to Bountiful in Just 6 Months!

Women from Haffé used to travel long distances to purchase vegetables to resell in their village.

Haffé is a small, remote village in Senegal’s Kaolack region, right in the heart of the “peanut basin.” For decades, peanuts have been the main cash crop here, but the relentless monocropping has left behind deforestation, depleted soils, and widespread poverty. It’s a tough place to start, but these are exactly the kinds of challenges where Andando’s community-led women’s permaculture gardens shine!

Back in February, over 200 women from Haffé planted their very first seedlings in their new four-acre Andando garden. For years they had tried to create a garden on their own, but without fencing or a solar pump system, the dream always slipped out of reach. The moment those barriers fell, it was as if the floodgates opened. Years of determination and vision burst forth, and the women dove in with extraordinary energy and ambition.

The garden site, originally a peanut field, had severely degraded soil and minimal tree cover.

The same field, just a few months later, is bursting with life and already beginning to heal.

And the results? Nothing short of incredible. By April, they were already harvesting lettuce and turnips. In May, they planted every single tree needed to create the full permaculture design (nearly 1,000 in total), building soil, protecting the land, and setting up the garden for long-term success. June brought green peppers, followed by tomatoes, eggplants, and hot peppers. Month after month, the harvests just kept coming.

By the end of July, this unstoppable group had harvested over 18,000 pounds of fresh organic produce and earned more than $8,600 in profits. Wow! Families now have vegetables on the table at every meal, women can pay school fees and buy medicine, and the village has the resources to overcome malnutrition.

We are so proud of these women. In just six months, they transformed barren land into a thriving, regenerative garden. And we’re proud of our staff too, who have refined garden establishment into such a science that we almost expect this kind of success now. Almost. It’s still thrilling every single time, and it makes us that much more excited to partner with the next community ready to take off.

Andando’s next women’s garden will take root in Senobowal, a village in northern Senegal on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Transforming this dry land into a thriving garden won’t be easy, but our team is ready for the challenge!

Watch the video below to see the progress that has already been made by getting water to families in Senobowal, and the next steps on the Women’s Garden that will feed the community.

Help us fund the garden construction my making a donation today, or signing up to be a monthly donor!

Help Fund the Senobowal Garden
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Andando Named Finalist in Prestigious 2025 .ORG Impact Awards

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We’re honored to share that Andando has been named one of 35 finalists in the 7th annual .ORG Impact Awards, presented by Public Interest Registry (PIR). This year’s awards drew nearly 3,000 applications from over 120 countries, recognizing mission-driven individuals and organizations making a difference around the world.

Innovations like our aquaculture project are being recognized on the international stage!

Andando was selected as a finalist in the Hunger and Poverty category for our work helping rural Senegalese communities break the cycle of poverty through a whole-village approach. By integrating support in water, health, education, agroforestry, and financial independence, we walk alongside our partner communities to build lasting, locally led solutions.

Classrooms are nearly complete at Guédé Village
High School where enrollment is rising thanks in part to Andando’s layered interventions across the region.

As a finalist, we’ll receive a $2,500 donation and join other nonprofit leaders in Washington, D.C. this October for a celebration and awards ceremony hosted by artist and activist Common. Each category winner will receive $10,000, and one organization will be named .ORG of the Year and awarded $50,000.

“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized for a second time among such a diverse and inspiring group of changemakers from across the globe,” said Garrison Harward, Executive Director of Andando. “It validates not only the dedication of our Senegalese team but also the tremendous work that our partner communities are doing to transform their own lives.”

About the .ORG Impact Awards

Andando is now a 2x finalist after being nominated in the Community Building category in 2023 as well.

The .ORG Impact Awards celebrate outstanding individuals and organizations within the global .ORG community. The program is led by Public Interest Registry (PIR), the nonprofit that manages the .ORG top-level domain, home to more than 11 million registered websites around the world. Click here to read their press release.

Thank you to PIR and the .ORG Impact Awards team for recognizing our work—and congratulations to all the other incredible finalists!

Andando is a US-based nonprofit working alongside rural Senegalese communities to build lasting, locally led solutions to poverty. Learn more at www.andando.org.

The Rains Are Here, and So Are the Trees!

Across Senegal, the first rains have arrived, and with them, the country bursts into green. For our partner communities, this marks one of the most important times of the year, a short but critical window when farmers work hard to grow the food that will sustain their families through the dry season. This is also a moment of intense work and opportunity for one of our most powerful tools in the fight against poverty and climate change: tree planting.

A member of the Haffé women’s garden plants two citrus trees in her plot, helping to establish the food forest structure.

At the request of our partners, Andando has been steadily increasing tree production at our two regional nurseries over the past three years. The goal is twofold: to meet our partners’ growing demand for trees and to support the scale-up of programs like our women’s gardens. Take our newest garden in Haffé, for example. Normally it takes a garden several years to complete their tree plan, but thanks to reliable in-house tree production, they were already able to plant nearly 1,000 trees in just their first three months!

The women of Sama Toucouleur received trees to bolster and repair their live fence.

Our team has worked tirelessly to produce over 40,000 trees so far this year. And even though the planting season has only just begun, they’ve worked with our partners to get more than 7,000 in the ground already! Few things are more hopeful than opening our Andando WhatsApp threads and seeing photo after photo of newly planted trees. The season is bursting with life.

Three Years of Impact and Counting!

The successes we’re seeing this year are the result of years of diligent effort and consistent support from our donors and partners like Rick Steves’ Climate Smart Commitment, who have contributed $130,000 over the past three years. This support has been instrumental in getting us to where we are today.

Andando’s Podor tree nursery established in 2023 now produces over 25,000 trees annually, which are provided free of charge to local residents.

In 2023, this partnership helped us lay critical groundwork in the north. We established a fully equipped tree nursery in Podor, complete with a deep borehole well and a solar-powered water system, providing the infrastructure needed to support large-scale, climate-resilient reforestation in this harsh landscape on the edge of the Sahara Desert. We also conducted a full census of our existing trees across partner gardens, confirming the successful establishment of 27,646 trees to date.

A member of the Togane women’s garden waters newly planted native Acacia Mellifera trees.

In 2024, we expanded that foundation significantly. A total of 26,530 new trees were planted across women’s gardens, schools, farms, and clinics in both Podor and Keur Soce. In Keur Soce, we upgraded the tree nursery water system to increase capacity for year-round tree production and we also took part in Senegal’s National Tree Day, contributing trees, labor, and logistical support to help advance national reforestation efforts.

Now in 2025, our focus is on scale, sustainability, and expansion through NEW partnerships. Steady production in our regional nurseries is supporting a second garden this year in Senobowal, which put together with Haffé will provide more than 400 women and their families with reliable access to nutrition and income. A new Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) training initiative is equipping 200 farmers in Keur Soce to regenerate and steward their own land. And in both Podor and Keur Soce, we’re supporting community-led efforts to establish local nurseries, giving partner communities the tools and training to lead reforestation efforts themselves.

Our newly completed borehole well and solar pump system in Senobowal opens up a whole new world of possibilities for tree planting in the region.

Thanks to a new partnership with the G20 Global Land Initiative, we’re also expanding reforestation efforts into the Diery, the arid, pastoral lands of northern Senegal. If ever there was a front line of climate change, this is it. Starting with our dedicated partners in Senobowal, we hope to support remote communities across the region to reforest their lands and contribute to the Great Green Wall, helping to stop and reverse the spread of the Sahara Desert. We’re also now a newly recognized Environmental Partner of 1% for the Planet, which we’re hopeful will open the door to a broader community of potential supporters.

We’ve built a lot over the past three years, and we’re excited about what the future holds as Andando continues expanding its work. But for today, it’s time to stop talking about what’s next, and plant the rest of those 40,000 trees while the rains are still here!

In just over a year, the women of Wouro Kelle have built a thriving food forest, planting nearly 1,000 trees and harvesting over 20,000 lbs. of produce in one of Senegal’s harshest climates. This is an incredible example of what is possible through Andando’s women’s garden program.

Andando Awarded G20 Grant to Support Climate Resilience in Northern Senegal

We’re excited to share that Andando has been awarded a grant from the G20 Global Land Initiative, part of a new program hosted by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This $10,000 grant will support our ongoing work in northern Senegal’s Podor region, where desertification and climate shocks are pushing traditional livelihoods to the edge.

Located near Senegal’s boarder with Mauritania, Podor is on the front lines of desertification.

This grant comes at a critical time. Northern Senegal is one of the country’s most arid zones, and pastoralist families there are facing mounting challenges: scarce drinking water, poor soil, shrinking grazing lands, and prolonged drought. Yet many of these same families hold generations of knowledge about how to care for and restore fragile dryland ecosystems.

The women of Senobowal are ready to get to work on their garden which has been a dream for years.

The G20 grant will contribute to our next women’s permaculture garden, help expand aquaculture systems in two existing sites, and support native tree production in our nurseries for use in schools, health clinics, and surrounding landscapes. These efforts reflect Andando’s holistic approach to both fighting climate change and supporting those most affected by it.

We’re honored to be one of just 39 grassroots organizations globally selected for this inaugural program, and proud to stand alongside partners who see climate justice as inseparable from human dignity.

One of the members of the Togane women’s garden shows off her plot. This garden has transformed the desert into an oasis of productivity in just a few short years.

This grant is more than just financial support, it affirms an approach that’s already producing results. Together with our partner communities, we’ve established 41 women’s cooperative gardens (including six with integrated fish production), planted over 60,000 trees, and built a growing network of local environmental stewards working to reforest their communities and restore surrounding farmland.

Learn more about our approach
Interested in getting involved? Reach out to us at info@andando.org

Andando Joins 1% for the Planet as an Environmental Partner

We’re proud to announce that Andando is now an official environmental partner of 1% for the Planet, a global movement connecting businesses with nonprofits working to protect people and the planet. Founded by Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard and Blue Ribbon Flies’ Craig Mathews, 1% for the Planet includes more than 6,000 business members and thousands of vetted nonprofits around the world. Member businesses commit to donating 1% of their annual sales directly to environmental partners like Andando, creating bold partnerships that think big and act now.

At Andando, we work with rural communities in Senegal to create lasting solutions rooted in the understanding that social and environmental challenges are deeply connected and must be addressed together. Our work is led by a 26-member Senegalese team and shaped by over 15 years of experience partnering directly with rural communities. Across our programs, we help tens of thousands of people to build bridges out of poverty by restoring ecosystems, regenerating natural resources, and reinforcing Indigenous knowledge and land stewardship practices that have sustained these environments for generations.

Our women’s cooperative permaculture gardens produce hundreds of thousands of pounds of nutrient-dense, organic food each year while remaining carbon-negative. By eliminating synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and long-distance transport, these gardens reduce emissions, improve soil health, and build food sovereignty, all while creating sustainable income for the women who manage them.

Our aquaculture initiative extends this closed-loop model by integrating fish production into the garden ecosystem. Without increasing water use, women gain access to both protein and diversified income, while nutrient-rich fish water naturally fertilizes crops. The result is a sustainable system that turns the waste common in conventional aquaculture into a restorative nutrient loop that feeds the garden naturally.

Beyond the gardens, we’ve planted over 60,000 trees across partner communities and are scaling production through regional nurseries now capable of producing 50,000 additional seedlings each year. In northern Senegal, we work with Indigenous Fulani pastoralists whose centuries-old grazing practices are vital to preserving fragile dryland ecosystems. By improving access to water, education, and healthcare, we help ensure these communities can remain on their ancestral lands as stewards of the Sahel.

Andando is proud to be a UNCCD-accredited organization and a G20 Global Land Initiative partner. Joining 1% for the Planet expands our opportunity to connect with businesses that share our commitment to integrated community-led climate solutions.

Climate resilience doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes trusted relationships, local leadership, and steady investment. Through this new partnership with 1% for the Planet, we hope to find others ready to walk that path with us.

View our 1% for the Planet directory listing here
Interested in collaborating? Reach out to us at info@andando.org

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Beyond the Classroom: STEM Teaching Garden - Two Years Later

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Students get first-hand experience raising fish in Senegal’s only aquaculture program at the high school level.

As the school year winds down, Keur Soce High School’s STEM Garden is marking its two-year anniversary, and the impacts so far have been outstanding! Students are mastering valuable skills and further solidifying their understanding of life and earth science, physics, and math ― preparing them to start a career or continue on to University. In addition to providing practical education, the garden is helping to strengthen the school as a whole.

Students and faculty work together to prepare the harvest for market, helping to teach practical business skills as well as evaluating yields.

Schools in rural Senegal face significant funding challenges, and Keur Soce High School (KSHS) is no exception. Fortunately though, the produce and fish grown here are now providing revenue to help bolster the school’s budget and provide scholarships for students who are taking on garden leadership roles.

Building Future Leaders: For students going into agricultural careers, the aquaculture and agroforestry lessons they’ve learned will help them to succeed in the face of worsening effects of climate change in Senegal.

“Even though we’re children of farmers, the methods of our fathers and the methods they’re bringing here, there is a difference.”
— Lamine Diop, KSHS Student and Garden President

Lamine (center, Garden President) with other students showing another of their substantial harvests.

Some students are even taking the initiative to use their new skills to start their own personal enterprises. Take Barra, for example, who now has a thriving garden at home providing produce and extra income for his family.

Barra with his mother.

“I know I can succeed in this profession because I really love it… During Ramadan I harvested a lot. My mother took it to the market to sell and some others even came here to buy.”
— Barra Ndiaye, Junior at KSHS

Barra’s garden is just one example of the amazing achievements the students at KSHS are making, and it’s clear that the support they are receiving now is helping to set them on the path to becoming successful entrepreneurs and leaders in their communities.

Barra (right) with his siblings who also help in the family’s new garden.

Sustaining Progress: How Paymar Is Expanding Rural Healthcare

Renovations to the Paymar rural health clinic are now complete, well ahead of the rainy season! This project is a powerful example of how long-term partnerships can sustain and strengthen community-led development.

Since opening its doors in 2020, the Paymar Health Clinic has facilitated 173 healthy births, including some of these children featured here!

Andando built the Paymar clinic in 2020. Since then, it has become a vital resource for this remote village of over 1,000 people. From the start, the local health committee has taken full ownership. As Mr. El Hadji Badou Sorna, the committee president, told us:

“When we started activities here, we had a well-constructed clinic but not enough staff. With the initiative of the village, we raised funds to recruit a [registered nurse] to serve our community.”
— El Hadji Badou Sorna, Health Committee President

All smiles! Members of Paymar’s staff and health committee inside the community health clinic.

Thanks to the village’s leadership, the clinic now has a registered nurse (ICP), a midwife, and a pharmacist, enabling them to offer critical services that were never available in the area before.

Paymar’s modest pharmacy will soon be expanded, drastically improving access to medications and supplies in rural villages.

But after several particularly harsh rainy seasons, the original roof needed to be replaced. Rather than using their limited funds for repairs, the committee hoped to focus on expanding the clinic with a new maternity ward, waiting room, and pharmacy. Andando stepped in to help.

The Paymar Health Clinic complete with a new roof and fresh coat of paint. To the left, the community has already started on their expansion.

We provided a new, reinforced roof (now part of our standard clinic design), along with essential medical supplies and equipment. This timely support is helping sustain the momentum the village of Paymar has built to improve healthcare access for their community and six neighboring villages.

Mariama with her healthy baby born right here in Paymar’s Health Clinic.

And just in time. On the very day the new equipment arrived, a woman gave birth in the clinic to a healthy baby boy — a powerful reminder of the vital role these clinics play in Senegal’s rural healthcare system.

Water for Sénobowal: A Milestone Worth Celebrating

We’re thrilled to share some big news: the new deep borehole well in Sénobowal is complete!

Drilling is finished, the pipes are installed, and our pumping test confirms what we’d hoped, a strong, clean, and abundant water source ready to transform daily life for more than 5,000 people and over 30,000 livestock across Sénobowal and ten surrounding villages.

The new borehole in Senobowal is producing an abundant amount of clean water, which will transform daily life for the entire village and the surrounding ten villages that rely on them for water.

This project has been a long time coming, with many starts and stops over the past year. But the water crisis in Sénobowal didn’t begin last year. It has been building for decades.

Everyone (big and small) was eager to fill their containers once news spread that we had hit water.

Context: Why This Matters
Sénobowal is one of the oldest villages in the Diéri region of northern Senegal, a dry pastoral zone south of the Senegal River. The people here are Fulani herders (known locally as Peulh) who have sustained themselves for generations through seasonal livestock migration.

Historically, many Peulh families moved between the dry grasslands of the Diéri and the fertile floodplains of the Senegal River, called the Walo, depending on the season. But as farmland expanded and populations grew, many communities were forced to settle in one area. The people of Sénobowal chose to remain in the Diéri and continue their herding traditions. But to do so, they needed water.

Senobowal already had a substantial water tower that just needed upgrades to the well and pump system. With these upgrades, they now have a dependable water supply that will help them remain on their ancestral lands.

More than 100 years ago, the village dug a 60-meter well by hand, an incredible feat in and of itself, which served the community and passing herders for decades. But in recent years, climate change has shortened the rainy season and lowered the water table. The old well structure began to fail, and the water became unsafe. A mini borehole installed later helped for a time, but it was too small for the population’s needs. Despite a strong local water committee, which replaced broken pumps and even upgraded the system to solar on their own, they simply couldn’t keep up with the constant maintenance costs stemming from overheating pumps in an undersized well.

Andando staff talking with leaders of Senobowal in the shade of the newly constructed health clinic. By listening and partnering with the community, we can identify the best solutions to meet their needs - together!

We first got to know Sénobowal while partnering with the village to build a rural health clinic. It quickly became clear that without reliable water, the clinic could not provide the safe births and basic services the community deserved. Together with local leaders, we made emergency repairs to their troublesome mini borehole as a stopgap measure while we raised the funds to drill a brand-new, deep borehole well, wide enough to support a high-capacity solar pump that will be installed next month.

What’s Next: Help Us Launch the Women’s Garden!
With the well in place and water secured, the next step is a women’s cooperative garden that will provide food, income, and stability for 125 women and their families.

The women are organized. The land is ready. But the garden infrastructure, fencing, watering basins, tools, and seeds, still needs funding.  Once completed, this garden will not only help to bolster nutrition, and improve livelihoods, it will help this remote population to remain on their ancestral lands in the face of mounting challenges. 

Gardens can help keep kids in school. In other communities with a women’s cooperative garden, pastoral families have reported that having reliable food and income helps women and children remain in their villages - kids can stay in school and mothers can stay close to healthcare!

In recent years, the seasonal migration that used be brief and local has turned into an exhausting five-month journey, stretching hundreds of miles south in search of adequate pasture. Without enough food in the village, many women and children have had to join the migration, pulling kids out of school and placing huge strain on families.

As we saw in our partner village of Belel Kelle (click for article), a women’s garden can offer another path.

With reliable food and income from produce grown locally, women and children can remain in the village year-round. Kids can stay in school, mothers can stay close to healthcare, and with water now available just minutes from home, girls and women no longer need to spend hours each day hauling water, time they can now use to learn, grow food, or rest.  A thriving village with more year-round residents also means that we can begin working with the village to reforest their lands and fight back the ever-encroaching desert.

Our community helped bring water to Sénobowal, and the joy and relief were unmistakable, with smiles, laughter, and celebration as the first water flowed. Now, let’s take the next step, and help ensure the families of Sénobowal can grow, thrive, and stay rooted on their land for generations to come.

Want to help?

Donate on our GoFundMe Page
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From the Director - May 2025

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We have water! The borehole at Senobowal hit water at 152 meters and was cause for much celebration by the members of the community!

I’ve just returned from Senegal, and I am blown away by the incredible progress we’re seeing on the ground. Like many in our sector though, we’re facing a rapidly shifting funding landscape that threatens our ability to do this vital work. That’s why we’re working closely with our team in Senegal to share Andando’s impact, like these updates below, with a broader audience.

A big thumbs up from Maguette from the Haffé Garden! These women overcame many challenges to get to this point. We give them TWO thumbs up back!

Since our last newsletter:

Students at Ndiedieng Primary School sit four to a desk but with their new classrooms on the way this will soon be a thing of the past! Classrooms along with bathrooms and water taps will be completed before the next school year.

This is just a sampling of the incredible progress happening through Andando. As we begin sharing more videos and personal stories, I humbly ask you to help amplify them and invite others to be part of this journey. Senegal is making real progress in the fight against poverty, but the need remains great, and this is a critical moment to increase not decrease international support. Thank you for supporting this work and for everything you do to help spread the word about Andando.

Help Us Spread the Word!

Donate Today
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Fish to Table: On the Edge of the Sahara

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In only a few short months, the women’s cooperative garden of Mbantou Croissement is enjoying their FIRST fish harvest!

The Mbantou Croissement Garden was established in 2018 and has a storied history of firsts:

Due to their continued success and dedication, and thanks to a generous grant from Tomberg Family Philanthropies, Mbantou Croissement installed an integrated aquaculture set-up in their garden in 2024.

Construction workers forming the basin walls for the Mbantou Croissement Garden fish tanks.

We learned a lot since our initial aquaculture pilot program in 2021! Using feedback from the women and our local horticultural technicians, we implemented a new basin design that facilitates a self-sustaining rotation of fish production and breeding.

The fish basin at Mbantou Croissement includes steps that make it easier for the women to monitor fish health as well as harvest mature fish and transfer juvenile fish.

While the women waited for the basins to be completed, they participated in hands-on training at the Andando Keur Soce Training Center. This included both technical lessons on water quality testing, and feeding schedules over the course of production, as well practical hands-on field visits to our existing aquaculture gardens where they could practice harvesting, sorting, and transferring fish.

Aquaculture training at Andando’s Keur Soce Training Center.

After completing their training and receiving all the equipment and supplies they needed, the women of Mbantou Croissement were ready, and eager to get started.

The women of Mbantou Croissement proudly showing their equipment and supplies. They are ready to start fish farming!

In November, they received their starter set of fish fingerlings from Senegal’s Aquaculture Authority. Equipped with the knowledge, skills, resources, and support they needed for success, the women courageously took on the new challenge of growing fish in northern Senegal, on the edge of the Sahara Desert.

Releasing tilapia fingerlings into the fish basins.

Just last week, they celebrated their FIRST fish harvest! Along with vegetables grown in the garden, they enjoyed a delicious meal of “yassa jënn” (rice and fish with onion sauce and vegetables) using all locally sourced ingredients! This really is “Fish to Table.”

A successful first fish harvest! The women clean the fish to make a delicious meal featuring vegetables from their garden.

Why is this important?
Aquaculture is a fantastic addition to our agroforestry model. Each of our pilot gardens have reported a dramatic increase in their harvest yields and profits - and all of this with a ZERO net increase in water use! That means they are growing more nutritionally dense crops, yielding higher volumes, benefiting from fresh quality fish, and increasing their household revenue without changing their water consumption!

Want to be part of the solution?
There are MANY ways you can support more projects like this in Senegal.

Clean Water Access for Indigenous Communities in Senegal!

UPDATE: April 2025

The Village Chief of Senobowal shares about the water crisis his people are facing. Senobowal is centrally located and provides water for more than 40 smaller villages surrounding it. The existing water system is not able to keep up with the demand, and as a result people have to wait in line to fill up their water cart before returning back to their village.

Senobowal already has a substantial water tower and we are upgrading the well and pump system so they will have a dependable water supply!! This is just Phase 1. Phase 2 is to install a women's cooperative garden, but we need your help.

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Original: July 17, 2024 (View on GoFundMe)

Andando invites you to join us in transforming the lives of the people of Senobowal, along with 40 surrounding remote villages in northern Senegal, West Africa by funding a critical water infrastructure project and establishing a women’s cooperative garden. This project will provide vital lasting solutions to water scarcity, food insecurity, and economic hardship, for over 5,000 people in the region, creating a brighter future for generations to come.

The Problem: Why Senobowal Families Need Your Help
Senobowal’s location as a pastoral center and remote water source has made it a critical regional resource for more than 150 years. All told over 5,000 people and 30,000 livestock rely on Senobowal as their primary water resource.

Unfortunately families here have struggled with severe water shortages for years. Their primary water source, an ancient hand-dug well, is no longer potable, and the only other water source, a "mini borehole" intended for a hand pump, cannot meet the village's needs.

For nearly a year residents of Senobowal had to rely on water brought in by donkey cart from a well six miles away.

Without a reliable water supply, the villagers face significant hardships, especially during the harsh dry season. Year after year residents have tried to resolve the problem themselves by purchasing electric pumps run with diesel generators, but their small existing borehole was never intended to accommodate this level of infrastructure, so they have been plagued with insufficient water, and costly breakdowns. The most recent breakdown in 2023 left the village without water for 11 months forcing villagers to travel long distances to collect water from unsanitary open wells in other villages.

Aida, Midwife at Senobowal

“Here we are in a dry area, a very dry area. We do not have enough water. It’s very dry. We are not close to the river, we are not close to anything. We are depending on the rainy season.”
— Aida, Midwife at Seno Bowal

Andando first partnered with Senobowal in 2023 to build a vital remote community health center and maternity ward. Infant and maternal mortality are devastatingly high in remote regions and ensuring access to clean water at this isolated facility is crucial for supporting the health and well-being of dozens of villages.

he new health post constructed in 2023 includes clean running water. But with the recent water troubles, healthcare professionals have to make do with limited resources.

Without immediate intervention, the villagers of Senobowal and the surrounding communities face worsening water scarcity, further economic hardship, and potential displacement from their ancestral lands.

The Solution: A NEW Borehole Well, Solar Pump System, and Cooperative Garden
The good news is the problem can be solved! We urgently seek your support to drill a new, properly sized deep borehole well and install a powerful sustainable solar pump system and women’s cooperative garden.

Thanks to previous investments the village already has a substantial water tower and by upgrading their well and pump system to an appropriate scale we will ensure a stable, long-term water supply for Senobowal and the 10 surrounding communities who depend on them for water.

Senobowal's water tower which has the potential to provide water for the surrounding villages once hooked up to an appropriately sized pump.

The new system will provide sufficient water for daily use, livestock, the health facility, and agricultural activities-- transforming life in the village!

Your Impact Will:

  • Improve water access for over 5,000 people and 30,000 livestock
    Increase food security and improved household income for 125 families

  • Reduce barriers for children to attend school

  • Actively combat climate change through the planting of hundreds of native trees and regenerative permaculture techniques

  • Preserve the local culture and build community resilience

Empowering Women and Keeping Kids in School Through Sustainable Gardening
Access to reliable water is just the beginning. We will also establish a women’s cooperative garden which is vital to supporting the health and well-being of the whole village.

Why does a garden matter? Families in this region rely upon their livestock for their livelihood. Traditionally the men will travel with their herds to forage for feed while the women and children remain at home. But in recent years, due to harsh conditions, entire families are forced to travel with the livestock for 6 or even 8 months out of the year! Ultimately, this means children are unable to attend school.

This photo taken from an existing Andando garden demonstrates the potential capacity to grow fresh fruits and vegetables with access to water.

The women of Senobowal came together to request a garden because they want the means to remain at home so that their children don’t have to endure the difficult journey and can attend school. Andando's agriculture program has a proven track record of success with 40 women's cooperative gardens already thriving in other parts of Senegal. These gardens not only provide food security but also offer economic opportunities to women like those in Senobowal who have few alternatives.

Each garden is designed to be self-sustaining, economically and ecologically, after an initial setup period, thanks to comprehensive training and support. The Senobowal garden will follow this model, helping 125 women gain the skills and resources needed to become successful market gardeners. This initiative will improve household incomes, provide tons of nutritious food, and empower the women of Senobowal to build the life they want for their children.

he planting of food-producing and live-fencing trees provides soil-regenerating benefits and ensures that infrastructure will last for generations.

Facing Climate Change Head-On
Andando's gardens are not just about food; they are front-line fighters in the battle against climate change. Using regenerative permaculture techniques, these gardens improve soil fertility, sequester carbon, and rejuvenate local ecosystems. Hundreds of native trees are planted, which are crucial for recharging aquifers and mitigating groundwater loss.

Senobowal's remote location, near Senegal's norther boarder with Mauritania, puts residents here on the front lines of climate change and the devastating encroachment of the Sahara Desert.

Your contribution will make a lasting environmental impact in the Sahel, one of the world's most vulnerable regions to climate change and essential to fighting desertification.

Preserving Culture and Community Resilience
The survival of Seno Bowal is essential not just for its residents, but for the preservation of the Pulaar people's rich cultural heritage. This region of the world is on the front lines of climate change and indigenous populations are vital for maintaining the ecology of the region. The Pulaar people have sustainably managed these lands for hundreds of years. With their traditional knowledge and sustainable land management practices they are essential partners in our shared fight against climate change.

The Pulaar people have a rich and vibrant cultural heritage. By investing in water and agriculture, they will be able to stay on their ancestral lands and continue to fight desertification.

Ensuring access to water, food security, economic opportunities, and a dignified quality of life, will help maintain their presence on their ancestral lands, providing immeasurable environmental and cultural benefits to this region and the world at large.

Our Approach and Plan
Andando approaches every project as equal partners with each community. What we provide in terms of infrastructure and investment is matched and exceeded by the sustained effort put forward by our partners over many years.

This project came about at the request of Senobowal after more than a year of discussions, and investigations in the village, involving all stakeholders, including village leaders, women’s groups, surrounding villages, and the regional hydrological authority.

The total cost of the project is as follows:

  • Drilling a new borehole well: $20,800

  • Solar pump system and plumbing: $10,700

  • Garden infrastructure (Watering basins, fencing, latrine, startup equipment): $13,000

  • Technical and material support for the first two years (daily support from a locally trained garden technician, seeds, native trees): $6,000

Total Cost: $50,500

As of the launching of this campaign, Andando has secured $23,135 of dedicated funding for this project, so we only need to raise $27,365 in order to say yes to the people of Senobowal and help them secure a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Your Immediate Action Will Make a Difference
Your donation will directly fund the drilling of a new borehole well, the installation of the solar pump system, and the establishment of the women’s garden. Every dollar brings us closer to our goal, providing a sustainable future for Seno Bowal and more than 5,000 people.

Join us in this urgent mission to transform lives, protect the environment, and preserve vital cultural heritage. Your support will create a ripple effect of positive change, impacting generations to come- because every family deserves the opportunity to build a brighter future filled with hope, opportunity, and abundance.

About Andando:
Andando is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit with decades of experience working in rural Senegal. The word Andando in the local Wolof language means walking together, and this has always been at the heart of our methodology.

For over 15 years, Andando has led programs in water, sanitation, agriculture, education, health, and microfinance in two rural regions of Senegal: Kaolack and Podor. Learn more about our agriculture initiative along with our other community-driven programs at www.andando.org

Donate today and make a life-saving difference!

Communities in Rural Senegal Receive Climate Resilience Boost Thanks to Local Grant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A participant from Togane Garden showing off her garden plots after planting trees.

Andando expands tree planting and water access in Senegal with continued support from Rick Steves’ Climate Smart Commitment

Salem OR– March 27, 2025 – Andando is thrilled to announce the continuation of its partnership with Rick Steves’ Climate Smart Commitment, securing a $50,000 grant for 2025 to further its tree planting and climate resilience work.  In northern Senegal, indigenous Fulani communities are at risk of displacement due to desertification and the negative impacts of climate change.  However, by combining tree planting with water access, these populations can remain on their lands and lead the way in responsible environmental stewardship and restoration.  This latest funding will expand Andando’s tree planting initiatives, introduce critical water infrastructure improvements, and provide training for local farmers.

“We believe that environmental restoration and community resilience must go hand in hand. By combining reforestation with vital community resources, like water, we are empowering local populations to lead the charge in restoring their own lands. Addressing their needs is essential to fighting desertification and improving quality of life across the region.”
— Garrison Harward, Andando Executive Director

At Andando’s Podor Tree Nursery, seedlings are nurtured until they are ready to be transplanted.

This marks the third consecutive year of support from Rick Steves’ Climate Smart Commitment, following $30,000 in 2023 and $50,000 in 2024, bringing the total investment in Andando’s reforestation efforts to $130,000.

Andando Team Members prepare saplings for a planting day in Togane Garden,

A Holistic Approach to Reforestation
Andando has already planted over 50,000 trees, working with women’s groups, farmers, schools, and health clinics to restore degraded land. The organization operates two regional tree nurseries which, thanks to this support, will produce an additional 50,000 native trees this year, providing:

  • Free trees to communities, farmers, and environmental partners

  • Training and logistical support to ensure tree survival

  • Resources for villages to establish their own tree nurseries

In addition to tree planting, Andando promotes Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), a low-cost, high-impact method of protecting and nurturing naturally sprouting native trees, which would typically be cut or burned during field preparation. Andando recently conducted an FMNR training with local farmers, equipping them with the knowledge to restore their own lands.

A Globally Recognized Leader in Climate Action
Andando’s commitment to sustainable land restoration and climate resilience has earned it recognition on the global stage. The organization is:

  • An accredited Civil Society Organization with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

  • A partner of the G20 Global Land Initiative, working to restore land and combat desertification

  • A proud Environmental Partner of 1% for the Planet, aligning businesses and individuals who prioritize environmental sustainability

Through these partnerships, Andando is scaling its impact within and beyond Senegal, contributing to global climate and land restoration efforts.

Climate Action and Community Empowerment
Rick Steves’ Climate Smart Commitment supports community-led initiatives worldwide that combat climate change. By investing in Andando’s work, this partnership is making an impact in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions, proving that climate action and community empowerment can go hand in hand.

About Andando
Andando is an Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating sustainable opportunities for rural communities in Senegal. Through initiatives in agroforestry, water access, health, education, and microfinance, Andando empowers communities to break the cycle of poverty and build resilience against climate change. By prioritizing long-term impact, local leadership, and women’s empowerment, Andando ensures that its programs foster economic independence, environmental restoration, and equitable, community-driven development.

DONATE TODAY
Learn more

Ndiedieng School Update

Last year we introduced you to the community of Ndiedieng and shared their need for more classrooms and bathrooms for their primary school. Ndiédieng Primary School was founded in Senegal’s colonial period and most of the classrooms haven’t been updated in decades. As buildings crumble and become unsafe, classes must be combined, becoming more and more overcrowded as enrollment continues to rise as well.

Ndiédieng Primary School - Spring 2024

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters during the year-end giving campaign, the community of Ndiedieng is getting two new classrooms, new bathrooms for girls and boys, and drinking water taps!

Construction is well underway on the classrooms!

Earlier this month construction supplies including rebar, concrete, and sand were delivered to the building site.

Local construction workers hand-form the building bricks onsite for the foundation and walls of the classrooms.

The current state of construction:

Photos:
1) The trenches for the foundation are complete.
2) Workers have installed the first layer of bricks, reinforced with rebar and 3) the beginnings of the classroom walls are in progress.

More updates on the construction progress coming soon.

About Ndiedieng Primary School:
Ndiédieng Primary School was founded in Senegal’s colonial period. The school serves over 600 students who have been studying in cramped conditions. Currently, the school has no functional bathrooms, making health and hygiene a major concern for children and their families.

The renovations will address overcrowding issues and ensure the health and well-being of students and faculty. We are excited to partner with this community so they can give their children a brighter future for years to come. See more about Ndiedieng here.

Andando’s Education Program:
Many rural communities in Senegal are growing faster than their education infrastructure can handle, and as a result schools lack the classrooms and resources necessary for students to complete their education. Andando works with our partner communities to identify unmet student needs and collaborates with the Education Ministry to build infrastructure and provide the support needed for students to succeed. Learn more about our Education Program here.

We receive more requests for assistance than we can currently meet. You can improve the educational opportunities for students in rural Senegal by making a donation today!

Make a donation today
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Regenerating the Land, One Farmer at a Time

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Every year, Andando provides zero-interest microloans to hundreds of farmers in Senegal's Keur Soce region. These loans arrive at just the right moment, helping farmers afford crucial inputs such as seeds and equipment ahead of each rainy season. By supporting timely planting, farmers secure stable harvests, improved incomes, and food security year after year.

Microloan recipient, Modo from Sama Toucouleur, explains the importance that trees play in improving soil health in his fields.

Access to credit is vitally important, but with climate change leading to more extreme weather events, unpredictable rains, and rapid soil loss, our farmers need new techniques as well to help them adapt to this changing and unpredictable landscape. Thanks to the generous support of our donors and partners, including the Rick Steves’ Climate Smart Commitment, Andando is now integrating Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) into our microloan program.

By protecting and nurturing young native trees that are naturally sprouting in fields, farmers can reap the benefits of increased soil fertility, decreased erosion, and improved water infiltration and moisture retention. This is less costly and labor intensive than planting entirely new trees.

FMNR is an elegant solution that taps into nature’s own power to restore itself. Rather than planting entirely new trees, which can be costly and labor-intensive across large agricultural areas, FMNR focuses on partnering with farmers to protect and nurture young native trees already naturally sprouting in their fields. When these trees are carefully selected, and protected to maturity, the results are remarkable. Over time, the benefits compound: richer soils produce better crops, trees store carbon, and communities become more resilient against climate extremes.

Some of the 234 farmers who participated in the first-ever Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration training held at the Andando Keur Soce Training Center.

This past February Andando offered our first ever intensive training in FMNR techniques, and the response far exceeded our expectations. 234 farmers in Keur Soce enthusiastically participated in our four-day workshop, learning both the technical aspects of tree identification and protection, along with how to teach and promote the practice to their neighbors across the region.

Expert trainers such as Captain Bodian from the Department of Water and Forests helped lead the four-day workshop on Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration.

The excitement among the participants was inspiring, confirming that farmers themselves are ready to lead the way toward a greener, more sustainable future. See what Aliou Ba had to say about the training:

 
“If we want the county to change, and for tomorrow, for the next generation who will replace us, to be comfortable, we should change our behavior. For now, it starts with us, who have been trained, and it’s good, that’s what I can say.”
— Aliou Ba, Farmer and Microloan Recipient

At Andando, we're proud to support these farmers not just with loans, but with the knowledge and tools to create lasting, farmer-driven environmental change. Through a combination of tree planting and FMNR our partners across Senegal, from women’s garden groups to school environmental clubs, health clinics, and microloan recipients, are creating lasting benefits not only for their own families and communities but for the wider global fight against climate change.

Enthusiastic participants gained from classroom and hands-on demonstrations on how to incorporate FMNR into their farming practices.

We can’t wait to see how this grows. Stay tuned!

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Planting Hope: A Climate-Resilient Future for Senegal —and the World

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For our partners in rural Senegal, climate change is not an abstract threat—it is their daily reality. The heat is more intense, the rains more unpredictable, and the land more vulnerable than ever before. And yet, in the face of these challenges, communities are leading the charge to plant trees as a proactive step toward long-term resilience.

Trees are invaluable community assets against the harshest effects of climate change. They sequester carbon, regenerate degraded soil, provide shade, protect crops, and make communities more livable. Andando’s partners understand this deeply and it is their desire to restore lands and secure a brighter future which is fueling our push to plant more trees than ever before.

One of the most significant achievements this year was the opening of a new tree nursery in Senegal’s northern Podor region—a direct response to the growing demand for trees. This is the only nursery of its kind in the area, providing trees free of charge for reforestation, community beautification, and the continued expansion of Andando’s women’s garden initiative.

Tens of thousands of seedlings are propagated in our two regional tree nurseries and then distributed throughout the region.

Podor sits on the frontlines of desertification, with extreme heat and dry, sandy soil that make tree propagation a challenge. Yet, despite these conditions, community members see the need and potential for tree planting in the area and worked with Andando to make this production facility a reality. With support from Rick Steves’ Climate Smart Commitment and in collaboration with local leadership, Andando drilled a deep borehole well, installed a solar pump system, and built essential infrastructure, including fencing and shade structures. This vital new facility is already proving invaluable—not just for trees but for local residents who now rely on it for clean drinking water during municipal shortages.

A member of the Togane Garden planting a live-fence seedling which will help to create a permanent barrier against livestock and harsh winds.

With fully operational tree nurseries, now in both of our regions, Andando began working this year with our partners to plant tens of thousands of trees in women’s gardens, schools, health clinics, and partner villages, as well as providing trees to hundreds of individuals and farmers, helping to improve livelihoods and quality of life. In schools and health centers, these trees provide shade and create a cooler, more comfortable environment for students and patients. In villages, they beautify homes and public spaces. And on farms and in women’s gardens, they increase yields, secure soil, and form critical live fences and windbreaks that protect crops from livestock and an increasingly unpredictable climate.

Trees planted in gardens, schools, health centers, and public spaces not only create a cooler environment, they also pull C02 from the atmosphere.

This movement isn’t just about restoring landscapes in Senegal though, it is part of a much larger global fight against climate change. Each tree planted serves as a frontline defense, pulling CO₂ from the atmosphere and storing it safely in the ground. Our partners are making meaningful contributions to the global fight against climate change, and perhaps even more importantly, they are doing so on their own terms, ensuring that their lands are restored in ways that not only serve the environment but their family’s needs as well.

We are honored to stand with our partners in this effort and are grateful for the ongoing support that will allow us to expand tree planting and reforestation efforts to even more communities next year. Together, we are creating a more resilient future for Senegal—and the world.