LAHEL / GAMADJI SARE MUNICIPALITY – PODOR DEPARTMENT

On March 02, 2026, an international delegation paid a visit to the headquarters of REDES (Network for the Emergence of the Sahel Ecovillages), located in Lahel, in the commune of Gamadji Saré, Podor Department, in northern Senegal.

Welcomed by Dr. Ousmane Aly Pam, president of REDES, the visitors discovered a vast area of several hectares, today transformed into a true ecological regeneration space. Once marked by desert advancement, the area is now covered with shady trees, fruit species and diverse crops, a testament to sustained land restoration work.

This visit is part of a long-standing partnership with the Earth Rights Institute, whose Executive Director is visiting Senegal for the fourth time. Since 2009, an active collaboration has been around the Eco-Villages movement and initiatives to regenerate lands affected by climate change and inadapted development models.

The initiative, hailed by international partners, highlights an approach based on community engagement and international cooperation. In Lahel, the results are visible: once arid lands are reborn, offering a concrete model of resilience to climate challenges.

The REDES approach is based on a strong local mobilization, independent of large institutional programs, and centered on solidarity, the transfer of knowledge and the sustainable restoration of ecosystems.

Through this spectacular transformation, the Sahel demonstrates that another path is possible: that of sustainable, inclusive development and bringing hope for future generations.