Eco-solidarity projects
As a tourism professional, Esprit d'Afrique aims to conduct business without negative impact on its host territory, both on its environment and on the local population, but also to encourage the development of the societies it encounters by promoting solidarity actions.
To this end, it is committed to being a player in responsible tourism and a driver of development. It is with this objective in mind that the Esprit d'Afrique charter was created, enabling the company to uphold its commitments through a set of principles adopted daily and through the implementation of concrete projects:
Eco-solidarity projects and our principles
Nos projets
En tant que professionnels du tourisme, Esprit d’Afrique s’engage à exercer ses activités sans générer d’impacts négatifs sur son territoire d’accueil, que ce soit sur l’environnement ou auprès des populations locales.
Nous œuvrons également pour le développement des communautés rencontrées à travers des initiatives solidaires.
C’est pourquoi nous faisons la promotion d’un tourisme responsable, véritable vecteur de développement.
Esprit d’Afrique a été fondée avec cet objectif et applique au quotidien des principes clairs, mis en œuvre à travers des projets concrets.
Nous respectons un Code de Conduite qui inclut :
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des pratiques respectueuses des individus et de leur environnement,
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la volonté de faire du voyage un moteur de développement,
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des actions en cohérence avec notre politique de développement durable.
Dans cette démarche, nous avons choisi de nous engager aux côtés de Travelife, label de référence en tourisme durable, afin de devenir partenaire et de renforcer notre implication pour un tourisme plus responsable et certifié.
Nos principes
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Impliquer et respecter les populations locales dans le développement
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Réduire au maximum l’impact de nos activités sur l’environnement
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Être attentifs et respectueux envers notre clientèle
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Appliquer à nous-mêmes ce que nous recommandons aux autres
« Parce que le profit seul ne nous satisfait pas, et que nous partageons des valeurs fortes basées sur le respect, la solidarité et la qualité ; parce que nous sommes convaincus que, pour durer et dans l’intérêt de tous, le tourisme doit être responsable. »
Esprit d'Afrique participated in the operation initiated by the Océanium association in Dakar:
"100 million seeds for the earth" in Sokone in the Sine Saloum in 2019.
https://www.oceaniumdakar.org/
Reforestation and tree nursery in Lompoul
As part of our commitment to sustainable tourism and to combat desertification in the Sahel, we support a tree nursery and a vegetable garden, financing the seeds and all the necessary equipment (construction of the well, watering cans, seeds and seedlings...).
The maintenance, reforestation campaigns and harvests of the vegetable section of the garden are entirely managed by the inhabitants of Lompoul.
Come and take part in this wonderful adventure by participating in a workshop: Preparing seedlings, transplanting, watering, planting...
Donations from participants can further support this local initiative.
Reforestation project - nursery
At Léontine's - the Bedik - Indar - Bandafassi - Eastern Senegal
Born into the Bedik people, Léontine Keita is an activist for women's rights and empowerment in her community. While preserving and respecting her customs and traditions, she broke free from a predetermined destiny by creating a tourist camp in the heart of the village in 2001. This project provides visibility and income for her community .
The Bedik people are proud of their traditions and fight against being forgotten. According to Marc Keita, Léontine's brother and a tour guide, through their colorful rites and traditions, the authenticity of this majestic world is revealed throughout the year to this ethnic minority. For the Bedik, initiation is a true school, a school of life, wisdom, discipline, and resourcefulness. It teaches respect for others.
Esprit d'Afrique has supported Léontine Keita's project since 2001 through financial assistance for the installation and improvement of the site and through marketing in some of its tourist circuits.
At Léontine's - the Bedik
Keur Sambel classified forest with the Nebeday association
The environmental association Nebeday has established a protected area in the rural community of Toubacouta, in the Sine Saloum region: the Keur Sambel classified forest. Within this agroforestry zone, a very active group, composed mainly of women, has developed market gardening activities that contribute significantly to the area's economic survival. The harvests are divided in two: one portion is used for subsistence and feeds the workers, while the other is sold. Other activities, such as beekeeping and reforestation, are also practiced.
However, there is a severe lack of equipment. The women, forced to draw water by hand, are exhausted by the task.
Esprit d'Afrique plans to invest in the project by financing the purchase and installation of a much more modern and practical solar pumping system. At the same time, Notre campement les Barracudas in Sokone wishes to source jams, honey, and other products from the Nebeday shop in Toubacouta, which markets the fruits of the farmers' labor.
Keur Sambel Classified Forest
Waste Management - Bambougar
Due to the lack of proper waste management and the poor behavior adopted by the locality, the village is suffering from the proliferation of garbage left in the open air which is invading the immediate surroundings.
Esprit d'Afrique has therefore taken the initiative to acquire land nearby for the construction of a landfill. The immediate objective is to establish a secure, enclosed space where waste can be quarantined and destroyed, and then to gradually implement various strategies for recycling or disposing of this waste without environmental impact.
A collection system will be set up, and the school children will be asked to participate in the big cleanup for educational purposes. The aim of this landfill project is to instill a genuine environmental awareness in the village, with the goal of developing and spreading this awareness elsewhere, by placing the facility in the hands of the community while maintaining close oversight.
The landfill site must be fenced with a sufficiently high perimeter (approximately 150 m), protected from the wind, and concreted over the incineration area. It will also be important to consider the risk of soil contamination if the entire surface is not concreted, and the presence of groundwater beneath the site.
Waste management
Bambougar Elhadj Women's Association
The women's association of the village of Bambougar, near which the Les Barracudas camp is located, brings together 53 women divided into two groups. Their main activities consist of market gardening, making beaded jewelry, textiles, artisanal soap and jams.
Esprit d'Afrique is involved with social groups such as women's associations, aiming to support causes like women's empowerment and children's education. The partnership established between the camp and the association involves a day included in the program of various tours, which unfolds as follows: a visit to the market with Mariama, meal preparation, board games, and a brief presentation on beadwork.
Esprit d'Afrique also wishes to intervene in two ways with the association:
- To finance a proper fence for the group's cultivation area which is regularly devastated by local livestock.
- To make the association a true partner, and to embody support for it by engaging it as a regular supplier to meet the needs of the three accommodations for artisanal soap.
Bambougar Women's Association
ZERO waste
Zero Waste Association
We have partnered with the Zero Waste Senegal association, Gîtes du Lac, Camp Rêve de Nomade, Barracudas and the Esprit d'Afrique agency to promote sustainability and the preservation of our environment.
As part of our approach, we have taken concrete steps to reduce our environmental impact. First, we have said goodbye to plastic straws, those symbols of a throwaway culture, replacing them with reusable or biodegradable Tyfa straws. In this way, we are protecting our oceans and marine ecosystems from plastic waste.
Furthermore, aware of the damage caused by non-biodegradable coffee capsules, we have chosen to adopt a more environmentally friendly approach.
Finally, we tackled the scourge of plastic bottles by promoting the use of Eaubaobab mineral water fountains (at Gite du Lac, Barracudas, and the Esprit d'Afrique office). This initiative not only reduces plastic consumption but also encourages our guests to choose a healthier and more sustainable alternative. Furthermore, we have committed to serving water at the table in glass bottles, thus reducing our reliance on single-use plastics.
Together with our partners and communities, we are working towards a cleaner, greener, and more environmentally friendly Senegal. Every little action counts in this great mission to preserve our planet, and we are proud to be part of this movement towards a more sustainable future.
https://zerowastesenegal.org/
Partnership with the Recuplast association
Our partnership with Recuplast Senegal represents a crucial step towards environmental sustainability at Le Gîte du Lac campsite, located on the shores of Lac Rose. By collaborating with this organization dedicated to the collection and recycling of plastic and metal waste in Senegal, we have been able to significantly reduce our ecological footprint. Thanks to this alliance, we are transforming our commitment into concrete actions to preserve the natural beauty of our environment. Together, we are working towards a future where protecting our planet is a priority, while inspiring others to follow our example.
Recuplast Senegal
"Sahel Goats" Goat Farm
The goat farm "Les Chèvres du Sahel," located near the Gîte du Lac, was established in 2015, financed and set up by the Esprit d'Afrique organization. With the help of interns who came to develop the project, the manager was able to receive training and ensure the business's long-term viability. Currently, the cheese dairy supplies the Bonaba Café restaurant and the Gîte du Lac with cheese (tome and feta), and tours of the goat farm and processing facility are offered to guests.
The creation of this project has three objectives:
Cheese is not culturally part of Senegalese cuisine, and most goat owners do not use the milk. Goat farming thus takes on an educational dimension, developing a new economic resource by spreading the practice and contributing to training in this activity.
- On an environmental scale, the structure has a dual benefit: by using the space in a healthy and productive way, it combats the harmful land development seen around Lac Rose. Secondly, this method of managing and raising goat herds is an effective alternative for addressing the diversification of agricultural land, for which these goats are partly responsible. In doing so, a model to follow is presented and demonstrated to the local inhabitants.
- Finally, the farm provides local cheese to the Bonaba Café restaurant and the Gîte du Lac, a responsible practice and a driver of attractiveness which allows the goat farm to solidify its activity by ensuring solid partners.
