After many years in the city, Djiby Top, 35, recently returned to Ouarkhokh with his family. The possibility of earning money through CREATE!’s cooperative gardening program was one of his primary motivations for returning to his hometown. Djiby had gardened professionally in the past but decided it was “better to work for my community’s development instead of working for the profit of others.”

Working in the Garden

Djiby works in the cooperative with his mother and other community members. The women warmly welcomed him and encouraged him to join in gardening activities.

While Djiby is a new member of Ouarkhokh’s agricultural cooperative that runs the community gardening program, he knows that his participation will change his life for the better. He’s proud that his village is now able to cultivate vegetables and raise chickens. “When I lived in Ouarkhokh ten years ago, we ate vegetables very rarely. Now, my young children are able to eat vegetables every day.” Djiby hopes to continue to use his gardening skills in the future. “My dream is to become a famous vegetable producer,” he adds.

Ouarkhokh Eggplant Harvest

The Ouarkhokh cooperative is enjoying a bountiful eggplant harvest!

“Other NGOs that came to Ouarkhokh didn’t succeed because people didn’t feel that their needs were met. They gave up. But, since the arrival of CREATE! in our community, everyone is now able to work and meet their needs.”