Antonio Giaffreda Project
A sustainable and virtuous circle
| Year: | 2017 – 2018 |
| Where: | Five rural villages in the municipality of Merina Dakhar, Thies, Senegal |
| Activities: | Update and automation of five manual wells thanks to the introduction of photovoltaic. Establishment of agricultural cooperatives composed by women that deal with farming and trading of their products. |
After seven years of activity and 36 successfully electrified villages, EPS has decided to start a new ambitious challenge: transforming five manual wells into modern ones. The new wells, powered by photovoltaic, allow the cultivation of about five hectares.
This fifth project is dedicated to Antonio Giaffreda, founder of the company MEF – Distribuzione Materiale Elettrico, based in Florence. Antonio sadly passed away after struggling with a serious illness. The project, strongly wanted and supported by his family and the Antonio Giaffreda Foundation, wishes to honor and remember a man who, with his capability and great heart, has built not only an important company, but also a unique family with his employees.
Goals
The aim of the project is to build five wells in five different villages, accessible also by neighboring communities, so to reach about 5,000 people. Each well is able to ensure the extraction of 10,000 Lt of water per day and thus encourage the cultivation of five hectares of land. The preliminary morphological study also helps to preserve the aquifer from the risk of depletion.
The agricultural activities’ management will be entrusted to women’s cooperatives, specifically trained by the local agronomist, Lamine Diouf. It will be their task to identify the most strategically suited crops, not only to meet the minimum level of subsistence, but also to be sold in different commercial channels.
Achievements
The five wells have been successfully constructed, so to supply 50,000 liters of potable water every day to 5 different villages and foster the cultivation of nearby fields. As originally planned, agricultural activities have been assigned to women of local communities, duly trained and organized into cooperatives. Agricultural products are going to be sold via different commercial channels, also identified in cooperation with international and local organizations that EPS met during April 2018 mission.
Lamine Diouf, Serigne Mor Nguirane and Bamba Djitte were also indicated as responsible for the maintaining and monitoring of all the wells, gardens and 36 photovoltaic plants installed during these eight years of activity.
Thanks to the donations of Careggi Hospital (Florence), EPS provided a new ultrasound and several medical supplies to Merina Dakhar’s health center.
Partners
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