SEED Association

Located in the heart of the Bango mangrove area, in the Saint-Louis region of Senegal, the ‘Ker Alaam Gi’ – or House of the Environment – project involves using bio-based materials to build an integrated resource centre dedicated to the environment and the protection of the mangrove for the economic development of local communities.

In 2021, the SEED association (Solidarity, Equity, Empowerment, Development) applied for the setec Foundation’s call for projects on the theme of sustainable construction in France and 6 African countries. After a rigorous selection process, the jury decided to award it the winning prize, worth a total of €35,000.

THE PROJECT

The ‘Kër Alaam Gi’ project

SEED is a local and international solidarity association created in 2015 that works to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable populations in France and internationally (Senegal, Bolivia, Argentina and Mali). SEED works by supporting civil society organisations (residents’ collectives, local structures) to develop co-constructed projects.

The association has been working in Senegal since 2018 with a residents’ federation involved in rebuilding precarious and run-down housing in the suburbs of Dakar as a result of recurrent flooding. It is working to set up a local construction chain using local, bio-sourced materials (typha and earth).

The association has been supporting the ‘Suxali Alaam’ Economic Interest Group (EIG) since 2018 in its activities to process and add value to typha and mangrove resources. The ‘Kër Alaam Gi’ project is being developed by the GIE and SEED, and is a continuation of two earlier projects: ‘Imagine Sénégal’ in 2019 to build a centre for processing and adding value to mangrove products; and ‘Femmes chaumières’ in 2021 to train women in the first sustainable construction trade.

The aim of the current project is to support economic development and help reduce poverty by developing local ecological resources and protecting the environment.

The project aims to :

• The creation of an integrated resource centre dedicated to the environment, for the benefit of the Suxali Aalam economic interest group (30 members), by constructing a 100m² building using local bio-sourced materials (typha earth) close to the mangrove;
• The development of 4 responsible and endogenous trades, including 2 in sustainable construction, by equipping and training 8 savings groups in Bango (80 people);
• Involving the local communities (500 inhabitants), indirect beneficiaries of the project, in preserving their living environment, by raising awareness in the Maison de l’Environnement about ecological architecture, waste management and the protection of the region’s endemic natural areas.

How far has the project progressed?

Since the beginning of the year, a number of business sectors have been in the process of being structured, in particular the bio-based materials and beekeeping sectors. The equipment needed for their development has been acquired. The SEED association has provided beekeeping training for 15 people.

In addition, the school worksite was organised and run, enabling the production of adobes made from Typha clay, resulting in the production of 4,600 bricks needed to build the Maison de l’Environnement.

Construction of the Maison de l’Environnement began in September, after the rainy season. From now on, it will be a question of completing the construction of the building and equipping it so that it can accommodate all its activities.

The role of the setec Foundation

The setec Foundation is providing financial support to the SEED association for this project. At the end of the 2021 call for projects on ‘Sustainable construction in France and Africa’, it undertook to award a total of 35,000 euros to the organisation in order to bring the ‘Kër Alaam Gi’ project to a successful conclusion.

Following the prize-giving ceremony, rigorous monitoring is organised throughout the year, during which reports on the project’s progress are exchanged to ensure the smooth running of the missions and any needs the association may have.

In June 2022, Adrame NDIAYE, senior engineer and sustainable development manager for setec Afrique, a subsidiary of the setec group, visited the project site as a relay for the Foundation. He was warmly welcomed by the SEED and GIE Suxali Alaam team, who gave him a morning tour of the site and the typha processing plant. Following the visit, he provided the Foundation with a report and photos. Adrame NDIAYE had been involved in the pre-selection of candidate projects for the 2021 call for projects, so he was already familiar with the association’s project and was able to give concrete expression to his involvement by going out into the field.