“That said and that done, there were still a few sleepy euros eager to wake up. That is why we are now looking for projects aiming towards a sustainable agriculture and requiring a little help to come to life or to develop.”

On November 27, when we posted our last (now second to last) newsletter, we were indeed at this stage: a few weeks after we got back home, we offset the carbon emissions related to our air trips (through a project managed by GERES in Cambodia, aiming to spread improved cooking stoves in the country). But we still had a good half of the 20% we had saved from the donations, we still had 1100 euros, and were looking for virtuous beneficiaries…

Our online inquiries didn’t lead us to the gem that we were hoping to support. Investing in the creation and management of a website is obviously not the number 1 priority of the smallest associations, so we only came across large NGOs, well-known and already endowed with a heavay wallet.

But in parallel, Damien had contacted a former colleague and friend, Olivier, who has long been committed to the development and promotion of agroecology, biodynamic farming and, more generally, an environmentally friendly agriculture. He brought us in contact with Marie, member of the association “Earth and Humanism” (Terre & Humanisme, founded in 1999 on the initiative of Pierre Rabhi), and Marie told us about Souleymane and Béo Nééré…

Souleymane is the president of Béo Nééré (meaning “Better Future” in Mossi language), a small producer organization, consisting of “peasant leaders” who want to promote agroecology in Burkina Faso. With the support of Earth and Humanism (Marie went there several times), they operate in the areas of Ouahigouya, Kaya, Koupela, and on a peri-urban market gardening project around the capital Ouagadougou. You can find some pictures of Béo Neaera here!

So Marie and Souleymane brought forward a project that we could finance : the construction of 3 wells, meant to secure access to water in 3 agroecological gardens:

– 1 well for the experimental garden in Ouahigouya
– 1 well for the experimental garden in Kaya
– 1 second well for the market gardens in Ouagadougou, the first well being insufficient to cover all needs

In the context that Marie had described us, such a project seemed essential. We trusted her, we trusted Souleymane, and we sent them the passive sum still dozing in our bank account… A few months later, it woke up and transformed: here are the photos that we received from Burkina Faso!

The assocation Ride the Flavour has lived for two years as a vector of solidarity: first, even before going out and about, she collected those donations without which we would not have gone out and about. Then, during the trip, she helped an organic farm in Morocco, and another one in India. Upon returning, she measured her links with the planet and all its inhabitants, and lessened the carbon impact of the trip by supporting a both environmental and social project in Cambodia. And finally, after six months living in France, she left for one last adventure: the construction of three wells in Burkina Faso to help a small producer organization.

Today, she feels fulfilled. She told us how much she was enjoying Burkina Faso, and even that she was thinking about spending her old days there. So we thanked her for all she had taught us, and through her, we thanked all those who contributed to her creation. We said goodbye, but she will keep living within us until our own old days. Thank you!

Léo and Damien

*****

PS: Damien also got some news about the hive he had started to build in India (see the article One WWOOFing week at DevBala Farm) : it is finally ready and the bees are happy!