Tribal sustainable development projects

At the present time Tuareg tribal lifestyle and culture are under severe threat. Poverty, climate change, geographic isolation all pose serious challenges to their nomadic tribal way of life. In discussion with tribal leaders and the artisan associations, sustainable development projects have been identified to meet these challenges. These sustainable projects are designed to strengthen their capacity to trade from their workshops in Timbuktu, and also to improve food security and basic community facilities in the outlying villages.

Tuareg Relief has committed to fundraise for these development projects. Long term sustainability will be achieved through investment of the profits available from Jump4Timbuktu 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.

You can support projects by making a donation. We promise that all gifts of money will be wholly invested in priority projects in and around Timbuktu.Help make a real difference on the ground in Timbuktu by making a donation.

Read below for more…

Sustainable development projects to improve livelihoods

During our recent meetings with the tribal leaders of the Cooperative of 59 Artisan Associations we identified the following inter-related capacity building projects to improve trade:

• to provide essential working capital for the five Silversmith Associations and also funds to re-equip the local workshops with essential tools and equipment;
• to establish a computer and training resources for artisan members of the Co-operative of 59 Associations, to develop computer skills, internet awareness and basic business and management skills;
• Embed fair trade procedures and practices into the production process of the Five Silversmith Associations in the first instance; and then to spread these ethical approaches across other craft areas such as leather and cotton goods.

Sustainable development projects to improve tribal community life

In February 2009 we also met with the tribal leaders of the five Tuareg communities linked to the Silversmith Associations. These communities are based in the desert, the nearest to Timbuktu is 20 kilometres and the furthest is 200 kilometres. In these meetings tribal groups identified projects to help improve food security for villagers and their animals, and also to develop basic community facilities and services. Their priority sustainable development projects are to:

• improve water security and with access to clean water through building wells;
• develop sustainable garden schemes to improve food and fodder security;
• to build simple school facilities for primary education with basic resources and teachers;
• to improve access to medical advice and support.

Our first action towards tribal sustainable development projects was to commission a feasibility study for a garden project. In June 2009, using a grant from the Kitchen Table Charitable Trust, we transfered funds to TImbuktu to start this community development project. By October the ground was prepared and planting had commenced. This tribal community is traditionally pastoralist and they are now very excited at the prospect of growing vegetables and fodder for the first time in their tribal history.

A second sustainable garden project is due to start with a another tribal community in Autumn 2009. Jump4Timbuktu is actively fundraising to ensure similar sustainable development garden projects in all 5 Tuareg tribal communities. Click here if you would like to donate and support these tribal development projects.

Limited services and amenities

There are scores of Tuareg tribal communities across the Timbuktu region (an area covering hundreds of miles of desert), where health and education provision is almost non-existent. One in twenty mothers die in childbirth and one in five children do not survive beyond the age of six. Most adults and children in these villages cannot read or write.

Tribal groups confirmed in discussions that the government have no sustainable development plans to improve food and water security or access to schools or medical support in such isolated communities. Tuareg tribal groups recognise that they are marginalised, and that improvements depend on them taking the initiative to introduce sustainable development projects.

Additionally capacity to trade is constantly undermined by inefficient methods of production, and a lack of good business management and communication services. None of the associations have computer or internet facilities, and everyone queues at one of the three internet cafes that service the whole town. They have almost no working capital with which to stock up and equip themselves.

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. Once funds are in place we will then work with our local project partners to ensure that projects are well managed and sustinable. Evaluation reports identify what is achieved and what needs further attention. These reports will be available to funding agencies, sponsors and donors and summaries published on this website.

We envisage that within three years, Jump4Timbuktu will be making sufficient profits to ensure all projects are long term sustainalbe. All Jump4Timbuktu profits, after trading costs, are transferred to Tuareg Relief for this purpose. Jump4Timbuktu is organised by unpaid directors and volunteers, and profits are not depleted by salaries.

Tribal sustainable development projects. Click here to return to the top of the page.