Supporting women’s groups in Sangako for the conservation of one of the habitats of the last Colobus Bai monkeys left in West Africa

In Senegal, the Sangako forest in Saloum is one of the last forest zones left in the region. It is the most western refuge of the Colobus Bai monkey, the monkey the most threatened by extinction in Western Africa. Living in these 2.140 hectares of forest are also numerous plants that are important for both their medicinal uses and their cultural significance for the local populations.

This forest is under pressure from intensive deforestation caused by an increase in the demand for charcoal production. The populations living close to the forest are aware of the importance of its preservation, knowing that these forest resources are limited in other areas.

The NGO Nebeday has therefore committed to helping these local populations to benefit from their rights to manage this forest. This has been necessary in order to prevent the entrance of illegal operators who generally come from outside. The NGO also support the development of revenue generating activities that are compatible with forest conservation.

When Olivier Behra came to the site for the first time in April 2012, he was amazed by the dynamics of the teams and, in particular, the groups of women that were the focus of the NGO’s intervention. He also saw the potential for using the natural resources found in the forest.

Since then, the NGO has undertaken numerous activities, including:

• Formulating a forest management plan for the local community of six villages and three hamlets (a total of 53 000 inhabitants),
• The production of more than 55.000 plants for reforestation,
• The devising of a carbon production process using straw and the development of the commercialization aspects of this trade sector by women (2.466 kg of straw carbon produced and 1.969 kg sold in 2015),
• The professionalisation of a cooperative regrouping 821 women who develop the production and commercialisation of moringa,
• Beekeeping development (51 kg of honey produced in 2015).

Two new resources, Gowé and Santang, have been studied since 2014 to discern the potential of their essential oils. We want to help the communities living around the Sangako forest in a practical way by making known the value of these new resources and thus reinforcing the need for environmental management methods that are sustainable in both the short and long term.