By Paulomi Bhattacharyya | Project Leader
Dear Friends,
We at CREATE! thank you for your continued support of our reforestation program in rural Senegal. With your help, we have planted 30,000 trees again in 2025 around various rural regions of Senegal. Our reforestation efforts across partner communities have been showing clear environmental and socio-economic benefits for years. Today, I want to share with you stories from two women from two of our communities, communities that are at different levels of program implementation but are experiencing similar benefits from planting trees. The report will highlight those benefits, both early outcomes and the longer-term potential of integrating tree planting into regenerative agricultural systems.
In Ndiange Kahone, a village that recently graduated from CREATE!’s program, community member Maimuna mentions how tree planting was not a regular practice for them before. Today, it is part of daily life. Around her community, cashew, lemon, papaya, and pomegranate trees take root alongside shade and windbreak species. Each sapling carries intention: to nourish, to protect, to restore. Already, the impact is visible. Where dry harmattan winds once swept unhindered across open land, the sturdy Acacia olos now provide a strong barrier. The soil feels richer underfoot. The environment, once harsh, has softened into something more livable, more hopeful.
But the transformation extends beyond the land. The trees have begun to give back—offering shade during long, hot days and producing fruits that supplement family diets. Maimuna speaks of harvesting not just fruit, but possibility. Moringa, in particular, has become a valuable addition to household nutrition, reinforcing the link between environmental restoration and human well-being. For Maimuna, this change feels personal.
In Keur Mandongo, a community that started the program in 2025, Adji describes the beginning of a journey similar to Maimuna’s. Her community is in its first reforestation campaign, and while the trees are still young, their promise is already reshaping expectations. Planted both in the community garden and within household spaces, moringa, papaya, lemon, and other fruit trees represent a future where families can feed themselves more sustainably—and even generate income from surplus.
Although these trees were planted only a few months ago and have not yet reached full productivity, the early signs are encouraging. The environment feels cooler, more welcoming. Adji imagines the shade these trees will soon provide, offering relief during the hottest months. She envisions a landscape that is not only greener, but more beautiful—a place where growth is visible in every direction.
Together, these stories reveal the layered impact of reforestation. It is not simply about planting trees; it is about planting resilience. In both communities, women are leading efforts that restore ecosystems while strengthening nutrition, livelihoods, and well-being. What begins as a small act—placing a seedling in the ground—grows into something far greater: a living system of support for families, communities, and future generations.
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By Shahinur Bashar | Ms
By Shahinur Bashar | Ms
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