Scouts Plant Seeds of Hope in Senegal

Since 2018, an idea has been sprouting in the hearts of young Senegalese Scouts: the need to ensure and promote a healthy and sustainable environment. Young people, who represent the generation that will inherit our planet, understand deeply the importance of protecting it. For them, understanding and acting for the environment is not just one activity among others; it is a mission, a duty.

From the start, there were plenty of obstacles. When they requested 500 trees for their reforestation initiatives, they only received 150. Rather than give up, the project participants decided to start their own tree nursery. They therefore learned how to cultivate the trees, from seed collection to germination, including repotting and sowing.

Since then, their project has directly impacted more than 5,000 people across the six regions of Senegal. The project was structured around five major activities to maximize its impact:

1. Establishment of nurseries: four nurseries have been established, providing a stable source of trees and plants for the various initiatives.
2. Training of 400 Scouts: these young Scouts received specific training to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving the environment and the activities of the project.
3. Creation of green spaces: four green spaces have been created and laid out, contributing not only to the beauty of urban areas, but also to the promotion of community well-being.
4. Community awareness and school engagement: projects have been proposed in schools to involve students more in environmental protection.
5. Targeted and sustainable reforestation: schools have been the main beneficiaries, with trees planted to provide shady rest areas. In addition, a competition has been organized between classes: the one with the tallest tree at the end of the year will win a prize, thus encouraging the taking of responsibility and the continuous care given to these plantations.

For these young Scouts, the project goes far beyond simply planting trees. It's a concrete way to involve their communities, raise awareness of environmental issues, and above all, to embody the change they want to see in the world.

The project was implemented as part of the Scouts for SDGs global initiative, thanks to the longstanding support and partnership of Alwaleed Philanthropies via the World Scout Foundation. Scouts for SDGs enables young people with skills for life and empowers them to take the lead in community development efforts to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).