Timbuktu sustainable development projects

At the present time Tuareg tribal lifestyle and culture are under severe threat. Poverty, climate change, geographic isolation pose serious challenges to their nomadic tribal way of life. In Jump4Timbuktu discussion with tribal leaders and the artisan associations we agreed a long term plans to meet these challenges starting with projects to improve their capacity to trade from their workshops in Timbuktu, and also projects to improve water and food security in the desert villages.

ump4Timbuiktu, under its charity umbrella Tuareg Relief, has committed to fundraise for these development projects. Long term sustainability will be achieved through investment of the profits available from Jump4Timbuktu jewellery sales and through contributions from the Tuareg tribal artisans as their incomes improve. In this way the Tuareg communities will trade their way to a sustainable future.

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Computer and Training Resouce Centre

• In the Autumn 2009 The Waterloo Foundation gave us a three year grant. The centre is planned to open in June 2010 in the artisan quarter of Timbuktu with access to the internet and training in computers and essential skills to improve trade capability.
• During our visit to Timbuktu in February 2010 it became clear that the primary training requirement for improving trade is to provide language skills training in French allied to basic literacy. As a consequence Jump4Timbuktu has arranged for 6 month French language and literacy programmes for groups of 30 artisans.
• A full time coordinator is being recruited to manage the centre and this person will also deliver daily 2 hour sessions in computer and internet skills to local artisans. The centre will generate sustainable income by charging for internet access along the lines of an internet cafe.

Water and food secuirty for Tuareg communities

• In February 2009 we a met with the tribal leaders of the five Tuareg communities linked to the Silversmith Associations. These communities are based in the desert, within a 40 kilometre radius of Timbuktu. Tribal groups identified water and food security as the primary challenge to long term sustainability.
• In 2009, with a small grant from The Kitchen Table Charitable Trust together with sponsorship and donations, we organised pilot food security programmes in two desert communities. During our visit in February 2010 we agreed a long term plan with the leaders of the five Tuareg villages and the Mayor of Timbuktu.
• The two pilot food security/garden schemes stimulated very positive community involvement and within 4 months quantities of vegetables were being produced in Togha, with the potential to double and treble the growing area. Other villagers are requesting to be involved now that they have seen the success of the first group of 20 men and women. The progress in N'Dala has been held back because the existing well was not adequate to meet the increased demand of the garden and the influx of nomadic families seeking to put down roots in the village. We are now fundraising for a well and solar pump. Technical people have confirmed that there is good water capacity 25 metres below the surface. We also plan to raise funds to start similar projects in the 3 other Tuareg desert communities.
• We also have an agreement with the Timbuktu Cooperative of Tuareg Women to develop a food security project and the mayor has offered 2.5 hectares of land on the edge of the city as his contribution to help make this happen.

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Getting organised

We work with a local Coordination Group of artisan and tribal leaders to identify sustianable development projects and to source sustainable funding through improved trade. The group includes the Mayor of Timbuktu and the local NGO co-ordinator.

Fundraising towards projects is organised under the umbrella of our registered charity, Tuareg Relief. Click here for details. All Jump4Timbuktu profits, after trading costs, are transferred to Tuareg Relief for this purpose. Jump4Timbuktu is organised by unpaid directors and volunteers.

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