The Prophecy, Senegal

Fishing is an essential resource for Senegal. Economically, fishing exports total nearly 160,000,000,000 CFA francs (240 million of Euros) annually or a total turnover of 2.3% of GDP. Socially, fishing generates nearly 63, 000 direct jobs and employs around 600,000 people. Moreover, fish fills about 75% of protein requirements in a country where meat is becoming more and more expensive and where 40% of children die from malnutrition.

However, in a context of climate change, this sector is now seriously threatened. Rising sea temperatures, the increase in water salinity, coastal erosion and reduced production of phytoplankton (food fish species) have resulted in the modification of ocean currents and reduction of fish from our shores.

There are three recurring problems affecting Senegalese fishing:

1. Poor management of fishery resources: Because there is no scientific inventory of fish, quotas and the management of stocks adapted to the renewal of species cannot be put in place, it is important to respect the ability and time required for the marine biosphere to regenerate. For example, in a decade, the white grouper, sole, shrimp and sea bream have become the most endangered species due to a decrease in fish stock of 50% to 90% depending on the species (source: Center for Oceanographic Research Dakar).

2. Illegal fishing: Whether foreign trawlers without licenses, artisanal fishermen fishing for immature species, or the use of fishing methods that do not conform to international law, illegal fishing in Senegalese waters costs the Senegalese economy 150 billion FCFA ( 230,0 million of Euros) annually. Senegal is thus a victim of a combination of vibrant artisanal and foreign industrial fleets that increase the pressure on the resource. This deprives fish and large mammals of their main diet, causing the disappearance of many species of fish and shellfish, and with them their ecosystems.

3. Lost nets: Since 1998, the use of monofilament or multi-mono-filament nylon nets has been prohibited by Article 30 of the Fisheries Code, yet their import is authorized by the Commercial Code. Decomposing only after 500 years, these nets allow nothing to pass through its netting. Abandoned or lost upon the reefs and wrecks of the sea floor they produce an ecological disaster. Thousands of tons of lost nets choke marine life causing our fish to disappear.

What can be done?

- Establishment of sustainable fishery management systems that include local stakeholders (fishermen and local authorities) to allow for the necessary regeneration of disappearing species;

- Development of new business activities related to fishing to absorb the overflow of fishermen (including product processing);

- Strengthening of controls and sanctions in fishing practices (including the banning the import of nylon nets);

- Creation of a scientific inventory of fisheries resources.

Dear Ecofund Community, please find below the accounts of donations and expenditures for “The Prophecy” project.

Thanks to your donations, we were able to finance the production costs of the photo series: the purchase of supplies needed for the design of costumes, compensation for the models, expenses for security and transportation…

Your donations also helped us to conduct awareness campaigns with populations from the locations, where the photos were taken.

Encouraged by your support and the success of the project, Ecofund partners joined us and helped us to boost the message (SENAC S.A. for the graffiti on the highway) and to bring our plea (la FIBA) for a change of behaviour towards nature to the Australian Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the largest coral reef system in the world, but under threats.

Many THANKS to all contributors and partners !!!

As the reality is often more shocking than anyone would want to admit, in this article, we have decided to, simply, state the facts ...

On Friday, October 17, 2014, Sandrine (Ecofund) and Prof.A.Tidjani (VIE - Vie Information Environnement), on Doxandem Squad’s invitation, a graffiti association, hosted a meeting, on floods, with Guédiawaye residents during the association’s 2014 “Festigraff” awareness campaign on health.

It’s in front of a crowd of residents from Guediaway, that we revealed the Prophecy No.7 photograph, and its explanatory caption on the causes and the negative impacts of floods. There were many women and children in the audiance, all curious and interested - in obvious empathy with the flood victim and the Djinn in the photograph.

Indeed, in this inner city neighbourhood, formerly called “Khaley Cite” or more recently “Dioukhope Cité,” we discovered the appalling daily life of its inhabitants: the school with over 800 pupils (7-13 years old) is often flooded, with the first floods occurring in 2005 in this fast growing and poorly planned neighbourhood, located in a drainage basin. Difficulties experienced during the rainy season include the inaccessibility and closure of the school for 2 to 3 months, and so causing a disruption in learning, with lands filled with muddy, stagnant water and mosquitoes, causing bad smells in the entire neighbourhood.

After presenting the Ecofund’s Prophecy project aiming to create awareness on the risks of and solutions to environmental problems, Prof. Tidjani explained clearly, in local language, to the population of Guediawaye why floods occur and how they impact the environment and affect human health. The ensuing contributions were intense with several women sadly and angrily citing various hygiene problems in their area. In Guediawaye, the plague of flooding has been very complex and highly aggravated by people’s actions. There has been no water in the school's toilets since the non-payment of the first water bill of about 1.000 euros (or 650.000 FCFA).

Moreover, the water pumping station has been out of service since it was built, leading to an increase in waterborne diseases and malaria ... A visit with Prof. Tidjani led us to an abandoned (for years) water pumping station, a supposedly back-up solution during flooding. A construction concept criticized by users, wrong handling that led to a broken pipe, and flooded electrical outlets contributed in rendering the station finally inoperative and since then, neither the local authorities nor the residents of Guediawaye have been able to solve these problems.

In the end, the situation seemed completely catastrophic, even depressing. Rain water, from neighbourhood districts Sam-Notaire, Ndiarème Limamoulaye, and Médina Gounass localities, which is collected in the pumping station turns to wastewater filled with excrements and garbage dumped by residents, thus filling the area with nauseating smells and breeding mosquitoes ...

Not needed to mention, that the health risks have, therefore, been rising for the past 8 years due to people’s inaction and inability to repair the already existing water pumping station and so to contain floods. This has, consequently, led to an increase in damages caused by floods on 503 houses, mosques, and schools etc. In the current context of increased vigilance regarding the Ebola threat, how can these people respect the recommended hygiene rules without water and in such a highly unhygienic environment?

We asked the audience, if it would be possible for each resident to contribute to the urgent repair work and maintenance of the water pump and to the payment of the school's water bills ... Apparently, these questions led to other questions on management quality and trust in those, who were designated to manage the collected funds. A real puzzle ....

To us, this meeting was a very touching field visit given the hopelessness of the situation. Guédiawaye seemed so far away from the relative comfort of the nearby capital city of Dakar, forgotten by all and the Government since 2006 and unable to have its problems solved through citizens’ action, i.e. by the victims themselves ... We are already at the threshold of 2015! We were almost overwhelmed by anger about the lethargy ...

But wait a moment … on the second thoughts, we realized that only few people, alike Mr. Amadou Sow, the dynamic community leader, were aware of the sanitary and environmental risks they are facing. Therefore, creating awareness, in particular among the youth, remains an imperative: As the association “Doxandem Squad” team finished cleaning up of the school’s walls, where they were supposed to paint their graffiti on health issues, the pupils were already throwing garbage everywhere, in front of their school's entrance and on a vacant scorched land, where the trees and other plants, so useful in flood control, have been removed from this urban landscape ...

We fervently hope the residents will use the expertise offered by Master’s degree trainees working on the environment as suggested by Prof. Tidjani, who said that "it is only by explaining the situation with detailed scientific presentation that the residents can plead their case and work on appropriate solutions with the Senegalese authorities and other citizens." A good idea that offers some hope!

We plan to revisit Guédiawaye to find out if the situation has evolved positively after our visit. In the meantime, our wishes of encouragement and continuing action go to Dioukhope Cité residents, whom we thank, once again, for their warm welcome. We will be very happy if the publication of these problems contributes in garnering support to their cause.

On 13th November, Sandrine and Fabrice presented ‘Prophecy’ at the World Parks Congress (WPC) in Sydney, Australia.

We invite you to read first the photo legend elaborated by Ecofund in collaboration with Dr Tom Bridge, Research Fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University, Townsville and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and Dr Pascal T Geraghty, Commercial Fisheries Scientist, Australia. A big “thank you” to Tom and Pascal for donating their time and generosity.

Our Prophecy photo series raises awareness about environmental problems in Senegal, West Africa and now in Australia. The Prophecy photo series has included researchers, activists, artists, local citizens and  political decision makers on a participatory and collaborative approach to create accessible, but scientifically based, photo-legends, one of which now presents the Australian Great Barrier Reef , the causes of its degradation and the solutions to the general public.

Together, the Australian “The Prophecy” photo and its legend constitute a plea for the conservation of the reef. They were exhibited yesterday at the WPC.

Now enjoy reading the legend and admire the Australian Prophecy photo!

The Australian Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the largest coral reef system in the world

Located on the north-east coast of Australia, the GBR and its associated ecosystems (mangroves, lagoons, sea grass…) extends for 348 000 km² (along 2,000 kilometres of the Queensland’s coast), and contains the world’s largest collection of coral reefs (almost 2,900 individual reefs and islands of all shapes and sizes), more than 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish, and 4,000 types of mollusc. There are also more than 15 species of sea grass, critically important for the ecosystem as they provide nurseries for many fishes and an important food source for grazing animals, such as dugongs (‘sea cows’) and large green turtles threatened with extinction.

The GBR’s coral reefs as we know them today have been around for 25 million years and, being the structural element of the reefs, they are incredibly important to our biodiversity and represent a symbol of life. The northern sector is especially important for indigenous Aboriginal tradition and culture, as it is an essential part of the “soul” of their land.

For all these reasons the GBR was declared a World Heritage Site in 1981 by the UNESCO, and is seen by many as the 8th wonder of the world.

Nevertheless, this site of remarkable diversity and beauty is under threat

The conclusion of the most recent and comprehensive study, published in October 2012 by the American scientific review Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, stresses that between 1985 and 2012 – less than 30 years - the GBR lost 50% of its initial coral cover! The study « 27-year decline of coral cover on the GBR » allows us to better understand the main drivers of coral mortality, respectively: tropical cyclones, coral predation by crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS), and the coral bleaching phenomenon.

It is obvious to scientists that changes in ecological, physical and chemical processes, compromising the conservation of marine ecosystems, are largely due to human activities at global and local levels:

- Climate change: warmer temperatures due to changes in ocean currents contribute to the dislocation of coral. Global Warming due to anthropogenic, industrial activities contributes to an increased intensity of tropical cyclones, which destroy reefs; see below a photo taken at Lizard Island about one week after Cyclone Ita in April 2014. You can see the damaged but living coral in the foreground (Courtesy of Dr Tom Bridge); Global Warming also contributes to abnormal increases in ocean temperatures, such as those observed in 1997/98 when the highest phenomenon of coral bleaching was observed. Increasing sea temperatures is also linked to higher rates of coral disease.

- Massive attacks by unusual concentrations of natural predators on the reef (Acanthaster planci, in particular) particularly in the Southern part of the GBR, weaken and can kill the coral. It is proven that fertilisers from sugar cane farms washing into the GBR are the primary cause of these plagues.

- Coral bleaching: In addition to the above reasons, rising atmospheric greenhouse gases in particular lead to stronger stresses on coral. Under such conditions coral can lose their zooxanthellae (a symbiotic coloured algae which absorbs carbon dioxide released by corals and in return provides them with various necessary nutrients), and as a result die of starvation or disease.

- Reduced water quality and contamination: carbonic acid from atmospheric CO2 produced in excess by human activities increases the acidity of oceanic waters, making surface waters more corrosive. At the 12th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, 30 international marine biologists concluded that "over the last two centuries, the ocean has absorbed a quarter of the CO2 emitted by human activities” and "compared to the pre-industrial period, ocean acidity has increased by about 26%". With more and more toxic substances being released into the oceans (e.g. fertilizers, oil from spills and increased shipping activities…), corals are under increased risk of suffocation.

- Local activities also pose potential negative impacts on the GBR: for example, coastal habitat loss due to coastal development, fertilizer (nitrates, phosphates) run-off from farming, inadequately treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants, as well as fishing pressure (over and illegal fishing), port constructions and, as corollary, increased traffic of large ships.

How to stop the programmed death of the GBR?

An intergovernmental panel on Climate Change predicts an increased frequency and intensity of tropical storms. For the GBR, an unusually high number of severe category 4 and 5 cyclones have been observed recently, and it is predicted they will be more severe, but one powerful cyclone can cause far more extensive damage than many smaller cyclones, and because the damage is more extensive, it takes the reef longer to recover.

Strengthening the resilience (ability of an ecosystem to regain normal functioning after disturbance) and health of the GBR is an emergency, and can be achieved via:

- Reducing COTS populations by developing alternative control measures;

- Reducing sediment and nutrient loads in the water by minimizing runoff from land and banning dumping of dredge materials inside the Marine Park;

- Education about overfishing and its impacts, and encouraging a change in fishing practices: Responsible resource management by local populations the Marine Park plays a vital role.

- The defence of the GBR needs an integrated approach, incorporating all social and economic issues affecting the population, coastal areas and river systems draining into the oceans: Governments and communities should discuss together.

On the one hand economic growth is important: globally, coral reefs are currently a source of indirect income for about 400 million people. In Australia, however, the proposed extension of the mining port at Abbot Point will increase coal exports to more than 70 million tonnes per year, but result in the dumping of three million m3 of sediment and in the rejection of increased CO2 emissions into the heart of the Marine Protected Area.

On the other hand we must now face the reality that our natural resources are fragile and not inexhaustible.

Our future is green !

We have very good News ! Ecofund has been invited by FIBA to attend the World Parks Congress (WPC) held in November in Australia organised every 10 years by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

We are speaker in the category “Inspiring a new generation” and shall perform together with Fabrice Monteiro, the art photographer, “The Prophecy” project at the WPC with an Australian ecological topic.

On Thursday 11th November we will present in the Ocean+ Pavilion to the WPC participants “The Prophecy” project as an example from West Africa, Senegal, on how art can be in the service of ecology.

This original advocacy combines in a consistent manner scientific work, art photography, and the collective potential offered by web based social networks and crowdfunding.

As Flyer-Photo for our presentation at the Ocean+ Pavilion, we have chosen the 3rd Prophecy Photo taken at the Bay de Hann in Dakar, once one of the most beautiful beaches in West Africa and today one of the most polluted bays worldwide!

The making of each photo is a participatory and didactic process: each theme is introduced on the Ecofund’s multi-media web platform to the community and general public. Everyone can participate by liking the project, commenting on it or financing the production costs through bidding for THE PROPHECY photo.

As you know, we want to raise awareness concerning environmental problems of cities like Dakar and propose solutions, in order to inspire the young generation for action.

Watch the making-of film of 6 Prophecy Photos below.

During our presentation at the WPC we will reveal to the 2.000 Congress participants the Australian PROPHECY photograph concerning a local environmental priority.

As the “Australian” topic for our “The Prophecy” photo series, we have selected the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). We will produce a Prophecy photo of the GBR and edit a photo-legend, which will present the reef, the causes of its degradation and the solutions hereto. See below first images from the making of the Australian “The Prophecy” photo by Fabrice on the heron island (Heron Bommie) showing one of the causes of the mortality of the GBR ...

Together, the Australian “The Prophecy” photo and its legend will constitute a plea for the conservation of the Great Barrier Reef and will be exhibited at the WPC.

THE PROPHECY is more than an artistic project; it is an original advocacy for environmental protection in Senegal, in Australia and elsewhere on our planet.

Furthermore, on November 15th, 3:30 pm to 5 pm at the WPC, Ecofund will participate in the debate on Crowdfunding for Conservation Finance: Reaching out to the general public. We will present our 3 years’ Crowdfunding experience of identifying, highlighting and boosting positive actions by connecting supporters with Green Champions and their concrete projects.

Stay tuned to www.ecofund.org for more fresh news from Australia to come !

And the winner of the 5th PROPHECY photo donor contest is … Caroline from France !!!

Today we have closed the fundraising contest for the shooting of the 7th PROPHECY photo. With 500 euros Caroline ranks top donor.

She will receive a dedicated print of the 7th PROPHECY photo. Thank YOU and CONGRATULATIONS, Caroline !!!

Today we start the fundraising contest for the 7th PROPHECY photo. The deadline is October 31st 2014.
The donor who contributes the most to cover the technical expenses for the 7th photograph will receive a dedicated print of the following PROPHECY photo: Floods

The 7th photograph was taken in September in Pikine, Dakar during the rainy season 2014. The rainy season in Senegal lasts from June to October with an average rainfall of 400mm in the region of Dakar. Although this level is moderate in comparison with Ivory Coast, Senegal, and in particular its urban areas, suffer flooding every year, causing extensive damage, crippling the economy, dislodging thousands of people and causing many deaths.

In 2012, the Senegalese State paid nearly $ 4,000,000,000 FCFA (6,0 millions euros) and launched the ORSEC plan to help more than 500,000 flood victims. Although we cannot control the violence of rains - in 2010 more than 1 million cubic meters of water (400 Olympic swimming pools) had to be pumped from Pikine, a poor Dakar neighbourhood, - we can control other factors and reduce the negative impact of rain on our daily lives.

Poorly managed urbanization has increased the sealing of soil by concrete and stone construction, thus reducing its absorption capacity and blocking channel runoff. As a consequence, such over-construction produces frequent and stronger uncontrolled flooding even in areas that were not considered risky in the past. Cities such as Dakar, Pikine Guédiawaye, Malika, and Thiaroye are increasingly located on watersheds, land where running waters gather before they flow into the ocean. Heavy rains in these watersheds, added to tarring that prevents greater amounts of water to seep into the ground, give rise to devastating floods.

Solutions to reduce the negative impact of flooding

- Rational land planning that takes into account the topography of urban areas, segregating risky living areas, and strictly enforcing building standards specific to each area.   In this way, a plan for prevention of natural risks (PPRN) taking into account all components (urban planning, geography, meteorology) can not only prevent flooding but better control the consequences.

- In zones apt to flood, the distribution of adequate means to fight against floods:   motor pumps, regular garbage collection (to avoid the spread of disease in case of stagnant water etc.).

- Forming groups of qualified citizens to raise awareness to  better prepare flood response, so that each season, communities are prepared, because awareness is an important aspect of the fight against floods.

Many of you have been asking for news of “The Prophecy” (revealed through graffiti) as announced after the June 4th event organized in Pikine with Africulturban, an association involved in urban cultures. So, here are some updates.

In August, members of Doxandem Squad, led by professional graffiti artist Docta, imaginatively reinterpreted “The Prophecy” project, inspired by photographer Fabrice Monteiro and fashion designer Dulcy. Based on The Prophecy photographs showing Jinn rising up against environmental destruction, and based on the photo captions, a scientific plea, produced by Ecofund in collaboration with Pr Adams Tidjani (VIE), each of the eight (8) artists from the group created personal visions of ecological threats like waste, coastal erosion, industrial and urban traffic pollution.

The team worked tirelessly, during Ramadan, adorning the Thiaroye footbridge walls (located after the Thiaroye-Sur-Mer exit) with their artworks. SENAC Ltd. supported this initiative by providing technical and logistics support. The results are remarkable and include: Panda by Triga, Tigre by Beau Graff, Eléphant by Graffixx and the imposing Calao by Diablos. The young artists aim to raise awareness among the youth on environmental protection and especially on the fauna, which play an important role in ecological balance.

King Mow, as an artist, is particularly concerned about desertification and coastal erosion. He produced striking graffiti to raise awareness on these threats. Docta’s creations, on one side of the bridge, draws attention to urban pollution and another of a canoe graffito on the opposite side calls for the sustainable management of marine resources through responsible fishing. The artists presented this mix of powerful messages on environmental degradation due to human activities as well as optimistic messages for a healthy and beautiful world, sustainably-managed by man. The Blue and green planet by Madzoo shows that this pleasant world could be preserved, if we all care for it, as urged with the innovative and brilliantly-drawn Tree-man by EL Memf.

Ecofund invites you to see the artworks, which are interesting and useful in encouraging each passerby to think of nature conservation in his/her daily activities.

Ecofund was, particularly, pleased to be part of the artistic feat because it helps in revealing young talents to the public, and it demonstrates the Senegalese youths’ commitment to change attitudes, detrimental to the environment. The etchings testify to the collaboration between the private sector and associations sharing similar responsibilities and desire to participate in environmental protection. SENAC’s commercial manager, Raissa Fall Diop, who works with graffiti artists, opined that "it is brilliant to use highway infrastructure to convey useful awareness-raising messages on environmental protection to the public". All the participants believe that raising awareness among motorists and pedestrians using the highway will create general awareness. As inquisitive passersby watched the artists at work, motorists honked warmly to salute their initiative. Hopefully, you, too, can join in.

For more information, we invite you to watch the video. Do leave us your comments and tell us what your favorite graffiti are on Facebook after seeing the artworks!

King Mow also left our dedication to you - Our Future is Green!

“The Prophecy” re-mixed by graffiti artists from the suburbs of Dakar, aimed at sensitizing local residents about the need to protect our nature. Doxandem Squad is an association of graffiti artists, who are convinced about the urgency to mobilize in particular the youth for the protection of our biodiversity.

In collaboration with Ecofund and thanks to the financial support of SENAC S.A., the Senegalese Toll Road Company, Doxandem Squad realized graffiti inspired by the series of “The Prophecy” photographs on the highway bridge next to Tharoye, in the suburb of Dakar.

In the film below, the graffiti artists, Docta, Atibou and Beau Graff present their work. Enjoy!

And the winners of the 6th PROPHECY photo donor contest are … Paulo and Laïla from Sénégal !!!

Today we have closed the fundraising contest for the shooting of the 6th PROPHECY photo. With 150 euros Paulo and Laïla ranks top donor.

They will receive a dedicated print of the 6th PROPHECY photo. Thank YOU and CONGRATULATIONS, Paulo and Laïla !!!

On the 4th of June 2014, on the World Environment Day, urban culture artists and the public present at the Festa2H Festival in Pikine, Senegal, which was organized by the Africulturban Association, joined our Ecofund Community to act for the protection of our environment. Inspired by “The Prophecy” project , which connects art and ecology, graffiti artists, Docta, Big Key, Madzoo and many others, “painted” the walls of the L.S. Senghor Cultural Center in Pikine, with murals representing threats to the environment in Senegal and West Africa. The murals call for a radical change of our mind set and our behaviour (for example, to stop throwing plastic coffee cups into the nature).

The art performance was enriched by a “free style” discussion on problems and solutions between the artists, the population, Pr Adams Tidjani (VIE), the ecopartner of “The Prophecy” project, project initiator and the art photographer, Fabrice Monteiro, and Ecofund. Poetry slammers, like Moustapha from Africulturban, Guis MC and Sall Ngaary “summarized” the discussion by interpreting the surrealist photos of “The Prophecy” project; the atmosphere became electric when hip hop dancers “invaded” the scene and invited all Festa2H Festival participants, made up of Senegalese, French, Spanish, and Danish nationals to join them.

The celebration of the World Environment Day was concluded by Lamine Mbengue, a Senegalese storyteller and praise singer (griot), who improvised a story based on the making-of the film for “The Prophecy” project which was projected by Mobiciné. The children present in Pikine listened attentively to Lamine’s story. We are confident, that this future generation have learned a lot about the need to protect our natural environment.

Enjoy the images of the event in Pikine below and on our Facebook page; moments to be re-created in other neighbourhoods and cities in Senegal!

Our series “The Prophecy revealed in …” continues, and the next stop will be the walls of the highway in Dakar thanks to the collaboration between Ecofund, Doxandem Squad and SENAC S.A.

Stay tuned to www.ecofund.org !

Today we start the fundraising contest for the 6th PROPHECY photo. The deadline is June 30th 2014.
The donor who contributes the most to cover the technical expenses for the 6th photograph will receive a dedicated print of the following PROPHECY photo: Bush fire

The 6th photograph was taken in Tambacounda.

Every year, between the months of November and May, bushfires burn more than 700,000 acres of forest and pasture lands in Senegal, causing an annual loss of about 30,000,000,000 Francs CFA (approximately 66,000,000.00 AUD). One might wonder why this yearly calamity continues to happen. Depending on the nature of human activities, the nature and cause of bush fires changes including nomadic pastoral activities, poor control of domestic fires, use of rudimentary methods for harvesting honey, and use of wrong burning methods etc.

The environmental impact of bush fires

Destructive bush fires damage the environment by preventing the natural regeneration of soils. Bush fire destroys new plant growth, leaving in its wake dying old trees, and barren soils. Other environmental consequences include:

- erosion and loss of soil fertility due to the destruction of  topsoil,

- degradation of forest ecosystems and disappearance of vegetation cover,

- shortage of livestock fodder, resulting in loss of livestock,

- increase in the level of C02 in the atmosphere, leading to a decline in ‘green spaces’ worldwide and increase in global warming.

The social impact of bush fires

In the rural areas of eastern Senegal, bush fires do not only destroy ecosystems but human possessions such as cultivated lands, livestock fodder, and homes. The consequence of this is the destruction of village lands, the loss of human lives (through the fire itself or due to the desolation caused by the destruction of harvested produce) and forced rural exodus.

The management of bush fires

Though this phenomenon has been deplored for decades, there seems to be no known means of controlling it in the most affected regions in Senegal (Ranérou, Tambacounda, Kolda et Kédougou). To address this problem, several urgent measures are needed:

- opening and maintaining of firebreaks: open air spaces that are mapped out and cleared of all flammable debris,

- reinforcing communication channels used for sending alerts during fire outbreaks and increasing the material and human resources needed for an effective suppression of fire outbreaks,

- creating awareness and providing information to local populations on fire prevention.

The Prophecy revealed in Dakar:

On behalf of Ecofund, Fabrice Monteiro, Prof Tidjani and his VIE-team, thanks to all of you for your participation and for your contributions. Special THANKS to Lamine Mbengue for the story telling and to the ARTEA Company and Marianne Nox for the dance performance (click on the photo to watch it!).

Next Green Happening: “The Prophecy revealed in Pikine Wednesday 4th June”.

And the winner of the 5th PROPHECY photo donor contest is … Dirk from Germany !!!

Today we have closed the fundraising contest for the shooting of the 5th PROPHECY photo. With 150 euros Dirk ranks top donor.

He will receive a dedicated print of the 5th PROPHECY photo. Thank YOU and CONGRATULATIONS, Dirk !!!

You must have seen him before in Ouakam or in the clip Happy Senegal that was circulating on Facebook. His name is Abdul Sy, fondly called Dulcy, aka Djagahl. As we say, Djagahl is a “character”!

Djagahl is a Senegalese fashion designer, known not only on the local scene for his ‘special’ designs, but also as a professional in waste recovery. Djagahl, who has been working with photographer Fabrice Monteiro, is inspired by the Prophecy project and through it, expresses fully his art as well as his activism for the protection of the environment. He is supported by the cultural association “Les Petites Pierres” in Ouakam, where he lives and creates his costumes. Djagahl is able to fully concentrate on his creations which, as he says, often lead to “crazy” designs that are constantly defined by waste recovery.

Djagahl and Fabrice are jointly creating, under the Prophecy project, a photo vision that is offbeat but down-to-earth on the threats facing the environment and this is portrayed in each photo. Costumes designed by Djagahl and worn by professional models are made with materials from many sources or from materials that are put to unexpected uses. This is seen in Prophecy photo No. 5 on “urban traffic”, where bicycle reflectors are used to make the ‘Djinn or Spirit’s costume.

Djagahl is a fervent advocate of the participatory approach of Ecofund, which is based on benevolent contributions. He believes that it’s quite normal for him to align his work as an artist and recycler with Ecofund’s desire to create awareness amongst the population on threats to the environment. He hopes that his designs for the 6 ‘Prophecies’ will also be a testimony of his own criticisms against our negative attitude towards the environment and his protest against the use of materials that are hardly eco-friendly by manufacturers.

For us at Ecofund, it is with joy that we welcome this new collaboration. For this talented and self-made Senegalese, it is important to act and he does so in his own way and voluntarily. In a way, this is also what it means to be a Champion in Senegal…

We use about 15,000 litres (15kg) of air daily: the quality of air we breathe is vital to our health!

Transportation is the main source of air pollution. Through combustion of petrol and diesel, fuel-powered vehicles pollute the air through the release of gases and particles. As road traffic and the number of vehicles increase in Dakar, urban transportation is a major cause of air pollution.

The major pollutants responsible for air pollution include:

- Hydrocarbons and their additives including lead and sulphur

- Combustion by-products (carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons, nitrogen monoxide and soot)

While awareness of the health impact of urban traffic hazards is high in the countries of the North (as evidenced by the manufacturing of new environmentally friendly vehicles), the contrary is true in the countries of the South, where there is little or no control on the importation of highly polluting second-hand vehicles (over 10 years old).

The global automobile fleet already surpasses one billion (source: International Organisation of Automobile Constructors-OICA) and according to the United Nations, between now and 2050 this figure is likely to triple.

As the following statistics show, air pollution affects human health, causing:

- 40% of all strokes

- 40% of all coronary artery diseases

- 11% of all chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

- 6% of lung cancers

- 3% of chronic infections of the lower respiratory tract in children

The ecological consequences of air pollution are equally appalling; petroleum processing - from extraction to their combustion - releases harmful pollutants into the air, water and soil.

Today we start the fundraising contest for the 5th PROPHECY photo. The deadline is Mai 31st 2014.

The donor who contributes the most to cover the technical expenses for the 5th photograph will receive a dedicated print of the PROPHECY photo: Air pollution

The 5th photograph was taken in Dakar, the 2nd most polluted African city. Dakar suffocates from vehicles too old for Europe but imported and still used in Africa. Consequences ?

• Vehicles (cars, buses, scooters, and other) older than 28 years
• 3 times more greenhouse gas emissions than the limit to be supported by humans
• High rates of respiratory infections, lung cancer, cerebrovascular accident

The Djinn appears in the middle of the urban traffic with boots made of old tyres, dressed in traffic reflectors, with a hat made of steel from “car rapid”, and with a night stick in his hand.  He stands up against the air pollution and calls us to “stop this suicide!”

Support the PROPHECY project by helping us cover the technical expenses and win a dedicated print of the 5th photograph!

Our future is green !

It was in Bargny, which is about 20km from Dakar, that Fabrice “caught a glimpse” of the Djinn (spirit) emerging from the huge stones, washed-over, constantly, by sea water. The Djinn was obviously troubled by the condition of the abode from where it emerged with difficulty.

Erosion, which is at the core of this revelation, is a global phenomenon seen in many inhabited coastal regions of the world. Due mainly to the impacts of erosion on the Atlantic Ocean, this latter is advancing at an estimated average of 2 meters each year along the 700km stretch of coastlines in Senegal. Researchers such as Mr I. Diop Niang, a geologist and assistant professor at the University of Dakar, Senegal, surmise that erosion occurs due to a combination of natural factors such as (sea surges, strong winds, tides, strong sea currents), and human activities which have dangerously aggravated this phenomenon. To begin with, human activities produce the greenhouse gas emission, which is responsible for warmer atmospheric temperature and rising sea levels. In addition, building houses along coastal areas has not only been responsible for the disappearance of vegetation that stabilises sea beds but has equally distorted the manner in which waves break since sea surges do not dissipate naturally and properly.‏ Some types of constructions, such as sea ports, are therefore responsible for sediments deposition imbalance (with sediments input being lower than sediment loss) and this worsens erosion.

In Rufisque, close to Bargny, the erosion problem is more pronounced as seen through wind conditions, reversed and changing sea currents around the peninsula, and the slow tidal supply of sand to beaches; all these factors contribute to the accelerated encroachment of the sea on the land to the point where the Thiawlene neighbourhood was submerged, in July 2007, by at least 30 metre-high waves, leaving the inhabitants, till date, in shock. The socio-economic consequences have been and will be high if erosion is left unchecked (with the destruction of houses and infrastructures such as the neighbourhood cemetery etc). Strategies, put in place to check erosion through the building of infrastructures (dams and retaining walls) like the one in Rufisque, increase on the contrary, the impacts of erosion because sediment transport is impeded by insufficient current circulation. In addition to the Senegalese coastlines’ sand being deprived of sediments supply, it is equally and sadly, threatened by the human activity which consists in the sand extraction from beaches and the resulting increase in sediment deficit and erosion. Sometimes, the same villagers, who are victims of the impacts of erosion, are guilty of contributing to the problem - without knowing it or because they don't have any alternative economic options... So what solutions could be put in place to check this phenomenon given that the sea level continues to rise each year?

In principle, natural solutions should be appropriate such as the conservation or restoration of natural habitats (mangroves, lagoons, plant-covered sediment reserves behind beaches) for the protection of shorelines or the promotion of sediment-trapping sea grass to maintain shoals that help in scaling down and reducing the strength of the waves breaking on shorelines…

Testimonies abound: More than 60 years ago, there was a forest separating the neighbouring villages to Bargny from the sea and it was quite useful. People are now forced to relocate or to build further away from coastlines and beaches.

Here and there, be it Bargny or Rufisque or even up to Saint-Louis, erosion is not limited to these places but is threatening all the west coasts of Africa (comprising16 countries) and other regions of the world. Solutions will undoubtedly come from the increasing involvement of professionals in the tourism industry, local authorities and the government itself and equally from ordinary citizens to mitigate and even turn around the impacts of erosion. The Djinn in the prophecy seems to be pushing us to this awareness, and indeed, it might not be too late!

Photo by Oceanium Dakar “Sand extraction from a beach in Senegal”

And the winners of the 4th PROPHECY photo donor contest are … Nora and Martin !!!

Today we have closed the fundraising contest for the shooting of the 4th PROPHECY photo. With 600 euros Nora and Martin rank top donors.

They will receive a dedicated print of the 4th PROPHECY photo.  CONGRATULATIONS !!!

What is coastal erosion?

Coastal erosion is the landward retreat of the coastline due to both natural and human phenomenon. In Senegal, it is one of the 4 major environmental threats.

Coastal erosion as an anthropogenic (human related) phenomenon though the unregulated or illegal removal of entire sections of sand from beaches and shores. This is largely due to an increase in urbanization, and a subsequent growing need for sand for construction.

Coastal erosion as a natural phenomenon as the sea continues to encroach shorelines Due to the effect of unregulated greenhouse gas emissions on climate, the removal of sand and the deforestation of filao trees that often border shores, seas are passing their natural boundaries.

The consequences of coastal erosion are threefold:

- Ecologic: absorption of pollutants by the soil exacerbates marine pollution. The disappearance of entire ecosystems (crabs, shellfish, birds etc.) is already in evidence.

 - Socio-economic: with the decline of seaside tourism, thousands of jobs in both the hotel and artisanal industry are threatened.

- Socio-cultural: beaches are important public spaces for community exchange and their disappearance has a negative impact on communities.

Governments, increasingly conscious of the severity of the phenomenon have begun efforts to mobilize and reduce man’s ecological footprint. Nature’s own rhythms, cycles and timing promise it will be some time before we see results.

Today we start the fundraising contest for the 4th PROPHECY photo.The deadline is April 30th 2014.
The donor who contributes the most to cover the technical expenses for the 4th photograph will receive a dedicated print of the following PROPHECY photo: Coastal erosion

The 4th photograph was taken in Bargny twenty kilometres south way from Dakar in Senegal.
It shows the coastal erosion which we observe in Senegal and its neighbouring countries.
The climate change is only partly the cause. The coastal erosion in Senegal is also due to the extraction of the beach send by the populations for construction.
Although it is forbidden by the law, the populations continue to extract the beach send for business or for their own constructions. At the same time, the populations suffer from coastal erosion: they lose their houses – as shown by the photo – and may also lose their jobs in the nearby hotels, which are about to close because they lost their white sandy beach.
The Djinn appears on the ruins of the houses in Bargny. He stands up against the destructive practice: He seems to be in rage against us and at the same time to prone reconciliation by appeasing the waves and telling us “it’s not yet to late”. … What kind of heritage of our planet will we leave to our children?
As the supernatural African genie, the Djinn, let us stand up against this environmental destruction !!!
How ???
By publishing information on how to protect the environement and in particular by supporting our PROPHECY project. Your donations will cover the technical expenses of the 4th photograph!
Spread the word about Ecofund spirit and about the PROPHECY project to help achieve our goal: 10 photographs of ten sites among the most representative of the environmental destruction in Senegal.

Our Future Is Green !

And the winner of the 3rd PROPHECY photo donor contest is … Anne-Marie from Senegal !!!
 
Today we have closed the fundraising contest for the shooting of the 3rd PROPHECY photo.
With 410 euros Anne-Marie ranks top donor. A big THANK YOU !
Anne-Marie will receive a dedicated print of the 3rd PROPHECY photo. CONGRATULATIONS !!!

Pollution of marine ecosystems from urban waste

As industrialization and urbanization continue to expand along the 700km of the Senegalese coastline, so does the production of disposable wastes. Nearly 80% of household and industrial wastes, generated by the 3 million people living in Dakar, are discharged directly into the Atlantic Ocean without prior treatment, destroying our marine resources.

Urban wastes are responsible for several types of pollution including:

Pollution by solid waste: The primary cause of marine pollution in the world leading to the eutrophication of marine environments (choking of the seabed due to the proliferation of plants), suffocation of living things found in these environments, and hindrance to the reproduction of species.

Chemical pollution: This type of pollution occurs when different types of toxic products are discharged into the ocean: heavy metals, pesticides, detergents, and even Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), chemicals able to last in the environment with many adverse effects on human health and wildlife.

Biological pollution: This type of pollution is caused by microorganisms (bacteria, algae, viruses etc.), found in waste waters, which proliferate and destroy the marine environment. For example, more than 55,000 m3 of faecal matter is discharged, each day, into the Bay de Hann, once one of the most beautiful beaches in West Africa!

Why marine ecosystems should be protected

For health reasons: The higher up we ‘eat’ in the food chain, the more concentrated toxic products we ingest into our bodies. Therefore, someone who eats mercury-contaminated fish will accumulate, in his body, twice or thrice the measure of mercury ingested, resulting in serious consequences to their health.

For economic and social reasons: Fishing and tourism are among the main sources of revenue for Senegal. Damage to or disappearance of marine biodiversity negatively impacts the economic activities reliant on this ecosystem, and decrease in the purchasing power of the people who earn their living from this ecosystem.

Dear Ecofund friends,
here comes the making-of the 3rd THE PROPHECY photo.

Thanks to the cooperation between Fabrice Monteiro, a professional photographer, and our Ecofund community, THE PROPHECY is a series of surrealist fashion photographs of 10 sites among the most representative of the environmental destruction in Senegal. Each site’s character will be inspired by Djinns, supernatural genies omnipresent in African cultures merged with their chosen environment. THE PROPHECY is more than a series of artistic photographs, it is an original advocacy for environmental protection in Senegal and elsewhere in Africa.
The making-of the  3rd photograph shows the pollution of the Baie de Hann in Dakar, Senegal, by blood from the Dakar’s slaughterhouse. Once, the “Baie de Hann” was worldwide one of the most beautiful bays comparable to the bay of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Today, the “Baie de Hann” experiences an ecological catastrophe: It is one of the most polluted bays worldwide.

Help us cover the technical expenses and achieve our goal: 10 photographs of ten sites among the most representative of the environmental destruction in Senegal.

Today we start the fundraising contest for the 3rd PROPHECY photo. The deadline is February 28th 2014.

The donor who contributes the most to cover the technical expenses for the 3rd photograph will receive a dedicated print of the following PROPHECY photo:

The 3rd photograph was taken on the beach of the Baie de Hann in Dakar, Senegal.

Once, the “Baie de Hann” was worldwide one of the most beautiful bays comparable to the bay of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Today, the “Baie de Hann” experiences an ecological catastrophe: It is one of the most polluted bays worldwide.

The Djinn is kneeling next to the channel discharging each day thousands of litters of blood from the slaughterhouse on the beach and to the sea. The sea is red from blood, is suffering, is dying … What kind of heritage of our planet will we leave to our children?

As the supernatural African genie, the Djinn, let us stand up against this environmental destruction !

How ???

Help Fabrice cover the technical expenses and win a dedicated print of the 3rd photograph ... and spread the word about Ecofund spirit and about the PROPHECY project to help achieve our goal: 10 photographs of ten sites among the most representative of the environmental destruction in Senegal !

Today we have closed the fundraising contest for the shooting of the 2nd PROPHECY photo. With 330 euros Sitor ranks top donor.

He will receive a dedicated print of the 2nd PROPHECY photo.  CONGRATULATIONS !!!

Qu’est-ce qu’un écosystème marin ?

Un écosystème est un ensemble d’êtres vivants (faune et flore) et d’éléments non-vivants (eau, air, matières solides) qui interagissent dans un milieu naturel. Un écosystème marin désigne un écosystème d'eau salée.

Comment les industries pétrolières polluent les écosystèmes marins ?

C’est simple, tout va dans la mer :

- Les rejets atmosphériques retombent sous forme de pluie qui, en plus, draine les rejets de surface

- Les 3/4 des eaux usées des usines et autres infrastructures sont directement rejetées dans la mer sans traitement

- Les activités industrielles en milieu marin provoquent de graves pollutions accidentelles ou volontaires (marées noires, pertes de pétrole, nettoyage des cales en mer sont monnaie courante)

Depuis 2000 : on a compté 10 accidents en mer, responsables de plus de 780.000 tonnes de pétrole déversées !

Ces accidents sont à l’origine d’une grave pollution marine, et provoquent la disparition d’écosystèmes marins entiers. Ce qu’il ne faut pas oublier c’est que ces catastrophes nuisent directement à l’homme, à son économie et à sa santé : la pollution pétrolière fait disparaître les ressources, contamine la qualité du monde dans lequel l’homme évolue et contribue à l’extinction d’activités telles que la pêche artisanale, qui fait vivre des centaines de milliers de Sénégalais.

And the winner of the 1st PROPHECY photo donor contest is … Sandrine!!!

Today we have closed the fundraising contest for the shooting of the 1st PROPHECY photo. With 182 euros Sandrine ranks top donor.

She will receive a dedicated print of the 1st PROPHECY photo.  CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Today we start the fundraising contest for the 2nd PROPHECY photo. The deadline is January 17th 2014.

The donor who contributes the most to cover the technical expenses for the 2nd photograph will receive a dedicated print of the following PROPHECY photo:

The 2nd photo was taken in the marine protected area of the islands of Madeleine (îles de la Madeleine) off the coast of Dakar, Senegal. Last august a Spanish Fishing Boat ran aground with 400,000 litters of fuel on board.

Fortunately, the Senegalese authorities were able to collect the fuel and so prevented the islands of Madeleine from a major ecological catastrophe.

The 2nd photo stands for environmental disasters worldwide caused by oil spill.

What kind of heritage of our planet will we leave to our children?

Help Fabrice cover the technical expenses and win a dedicated print of the 2nd photograph!

This is the slogan of the population living in the bay de Hann in Dakar, Senegal.

Yesterday, while visiting the location for the next PROPHECY project’s photo we met populations demonstrating against the pollution of the Baie de Hann in Dakar, Senegal.

Once, the Baie de Hann was the most bountiful bay of Dakar. Today, it’s one of the most polluted locations in Senegal.

The rich have abandoned or sold their houses. Only the poor keep living in midst of domestic, industrial and chemical waste, which floods their houses.

They demand the public decision makers to close the channels discharging each day tons of non-treated waste on the beach and to the sea.

Support the population of the Baie de Hann in its fight for healthy environment!

How? Support the PROPHECY project will constitute an original advocacy for environmental protection in Senegal and elsewhere in Africa!

Photo “red sea” shows the waste of Dakar’s slaughterhouse.

This is the slogan of the population living in the bay de Hann in Dakar, Senegal.

Yesterday, while visiting the location for the next PROPHECY project’s photo we met populations demonstrating against the pollution of the Baie de Hann in Dakar, Senegal.

Once, the Baie de Hann was the most bountiful bay of Dakar. Today, it’s one of the most polluted locations in Senegal.

The rich have abandoned or sold their houses. Only the poor keep living in midst of domestic, industrial and chemical waste, which floods their houses.

They demand the public decision makers to close the channels discharging each day tons of non-treated waste on the beach and to the sea.

Support the population of the Baie de Hann in its fight for healthy environment!

How? Support the PROPHECY project will constitute an original advocacy for environmental protection in Senegal and elsewhere in Africa!

Photo “red sea” shows the waste of Dakar’s slaughterhouse.

Located 30km from Dakar in Senegal, Mbeubeuss is an unauthorized dump site, stretching over 170 hectares of land on a former lake in the region of Malika. Each day, 350 rubbish trucks dump an estimated 1,300 tons of household waste, from Dakar and environs, in Mbeubeuss.

When Mbeubeuss was created in 1968 no preliminary studies or technical evaluations were carried out concerning its eventual impact. The dumpsite has been growing and increasingly gaining ground, polluting surrounding waters, soils and the environment. It constitutes a source of nuisance to residents and jeopardizes economic activities such as cattle breeding and agriculture.

The following statistics show the health problems encountered by the inhabitants of Mbeubeuss:

Women and children living close to the dumpsite are 5 times more likely to suffer from anaemia and respiratory diseases.

- 40 % of the women have obstetrical problems leading to miscarriages and stillbirths.

- 75% of inhabitant water supply is contaminated with lead. 

- 90% of the pork raised in the vicinity of the dumpsite is contaminated with mercury and should be declared unfit for consumption.

Mbeubeuss: A source of livelihood

Yet Mbeubeuss is also a source of income for about 1,800 people who work in and earn their living from the dump site. Revenue from this site amounts to 13,000,000 Francs CFA per day (the equivalent of 28,000 Australian dollars). People working in Mbeubeuss include pickers (sedentary or migrant), trash dealers and recyclers. Some have monthly earnings that largely surpass the minimum wage in Senegal, but because of the highly negative image of their profession and poor working conditions, these people are marginalized by society.

No disturbances today. The atmosphere is a complete contrast to that of the day before, keeping in mind that we are now accompanied by the representatives of Enda, an organisation responsible for local initiatives countering the problem of ‘Mbeubeuss’. We set up a barrel where Khady, a Senegalese model already making up an impressive 1,9m is supposed to tower on.

JahGal is a real genius: the dress he has thought up, represent the layers of all kinds of garbage. The order of their assembly goes along with the timing of their natural degradation.

We arrange the heavy dress on the model, positioned on the petrol barrel and had to put a plastic bag over her face. Lucky that Khady is a professional and was not afraid of the accumulation of the heat, the smoke, the void and smell. I don’t know many models that would accept to work in these kinds of conditions.

Thus Khady had to stand like this, half holding her breath for the 20 minutes needed to create the photo.

Perfect timing. One of those sunsets of the raining season, where the sun tries desperately to break through the black clouds and show its colours at the end of the day. Perfect to add some of the tension necessary to create the dramatic effect.

It took me 3 days to get rid of the smell, the infamous stink of burned plastic, and the seats of my car still remind me of it.

Mbeubeuss is an experience one cannot leave completely untouched.

Photo ©Madbubble

Upon arriving in Keur Massar, the first smell you notice is the stinging of burned plastic in your nose and throat. This section of Dakar’s suburbs contains the biggest garbage dump of Senegal: Mbeubeuss. To get there you just have to follow the lines of trucks; filled to the tip with all the trash only a megalopolis like Dakar can produce.

Day after day they unload tons of garbage; ready to sort, burn or salvaged by the population of the dump. To take our photo on the mountain of waste, we were relying on the element of surprise so as not to waste time on bargaining for an authorisation. Bad idea, since the person giving you the authorisation might not have the authority to do so in the end. You should know that Mbeubeuss has it’s own population, territories and rules.

After having caused a small turmoil, we finally found someone with enough authority to calm everyone down. After long discussions about the price we were finally able to get the authorisation for the next day, same time.

Mbeubeuss is an artificial mountain range dumped in the middle of a green swamp. The accumulation of burned garbage and compost, aggravated by the trucks heading continuously towards the summit, where they literally have created a mountain on the slope of which sprout fires which create a thick black smoke, give the place a taste of Armageddon. Here and there you find random shacks where the workers of Mbeubeuss reside, some with faces disfigured with skin diseases, which no doubt originate from this wretched place.

An old woman digs in the trash looking for something eatable or something to buy food with.

Photo ©Madbubble

LILA WEUR DOKO FONK SOUFE LOOKO JOKH MOU TONTTOU

You don’t respect the environment; the earth will pay us back, what we’ve done to it.

These are the lyrics of the song from the new album “Niit” of the Senegalese Rap group “Daara J Family”.

Daara J Family has joined Ecofund Community to mobilize against the pollution of our planet.

We believe that everyone can be a champion, that small efforts can produce a broader positive effect on our environment

Join our Ecoforum and play your part!

Many THANKS to Daara J Family, McCANN Dakar, Lionel Madeix and all our friends who made this clip possible

Click here to listen to the song.

What kind of heritage of our planet will we leave to our children?

Armed with his camera, Fabrice will record his visits to a dozen sites among the most representative of the environmental destruction in Senegal. The scenes seem unbelievable and surreal… though they are real!

Fabrice Monteiro is a young professional photographer currently residing in Senegal. Born and raised in Benin, his mixed cultural heritage and his travels through various countries have sensitized him to the protection of our natural environment. Through his art, Fabrice wants to raise our awareness and call us to action concerning the environmental problems Senegal and its neighbouring countries are facing.

Are you interested in his view on our environment?

Help Fabrice cover the minimum of the technical expenses for the photographs. The three top donors will receive a dedicated print

©Madbubble