ER 03 - REFRESHING HOPE
Project Location
The Gasc-Barca region is the largest in Eritrea, geographically located on the border with Ethiopia and Sudan. It is divided into 14 provinces and contains 680 villages. The population is approximately 850,000 and includes eight of Eritrea's nine ethnic groups. Approximately 85% of the population lives from agriculture and pastoralism, making this potentially the most fertile and richest region in Eritrea. However, the region's climate is challenging, with long periods of drought alternating with heavy rainfall, causing dangerous rises in river levels.
This project aims to expand the first one, presented last year, which focused on the territories of Kuluku and Halibmentel, by expanding into the village of Embatkalla. The project aims to expand the territory to plant trees to regenerate the soil and care for our Mother Earth.
Project description
This year's project, along with last year's, aims to slow the advance of the desert in our mission areas through the cultivation and combination of different plants and vegetables to stimulate the soil to regenerate and become productive again. The idea came from a farmer who implemented a method in the area that is working and which we have begun to replicate. The initiative received the encouragement and support of Bishop Thomas Osman, Capuchin Bishop of Barentù, where the Eparchy he leads is based. The idea is that every household could have a small vegetable garden, a fruit tree, and plants that could better meet the basic needs of families, stop soil erosion, and revitalize the village.
After digging and preparing the land, we plan to purchase and plant shade trees and various vegetables that are resistant to hot climates and semi-arid soils. As the plants grow, providing shade and humidity, we will proceed with planting fruit trees. Natural fertilizer produced by farmyard animals and cows will be used. A greenhouse and a nursery will allow us to grow vegetables and follow the plant's first growth cycle: from seed to seedling. The water tank will ensure continuous irrigation of the plants and the garden. This tank is essential given the semi-desert nature of the area. The tank will be connected to a well but will also collect rainwater. The solar panels will be for the community of sisters involved in this project. This is needed to provide electricity for the home and to pump water from a well for domestic use. Three farmers will help us plant trees and grow vegetables.
Objectives
- Halt desertification and land erosion
- Create a garden/vegetable garden in the village of Embatkalla
- Improve the population's nutrition
Beneficiaries
Direct: 60 sisters from the province and three farmers (two full-time and one part-time) along with their families.
Indirect: approximately 600 families from the village of Embatkalla, for a total of 3,000 people.
Referent sister of the project: sr Elisa Kidanè
Project's costs