Do it yourself

The Traversine Bercy garden pergola consists of a 3.5m-wide metal structure, surrounded by wooden containers for growing aromatical herbs. In the center of the pergola, Dessine l’Espoir team has just installed a large clover-shaped table, surrounded by 12 metal and … Read More

Dessine L’Espoir association took part in Paris Sème alongside the Parisculteurs. We led fun workshops to raise awareness of sustainable agriculture among young and old alike, presenting educational games used by the association in various schools, whether in Rufisque, Paris … Read More

To accompany the decorated wooden birds hanging from the pergola, children from Bercy school and CLAJE painted wooden flowers to embellish the garden at La Traversine Bercy. The two sides of each flower were painted by two different children, an … Read More

A lasting partnership has been established between the Farming our Future farm and the medical centre at Levi’s Nek in Lesotho. The deaf and hard-of-hearing young people from the farm set up by The Ivory Foundation are given a special … Read More

The strawberry plants harvested in September had time to develop over the winter, and were replanted by the kindergarteners in the Bercy school garden, alongside kiwis, vines and other climbers. Elementary school children also helped enrich the garden by planting … Read More

At St Paul’s School for the Deaf, in Leribe, Lesotho, 6 young people are training on the educational farm set up in 2016 by The Ivory Foundation.Under the guidance of Tsephane, educational manager and head of cultivation, they have been … Read More

The Garden of Skills greenhouse provides a protected space for growing crops, complementing the nursery area.

As the weather did not allow us to work in the vegetable garden, we decided to create a memory game with the children. We printed black and white drawings of fruit and vegetables in vegetable gardens or baskets on sheets … Read More

Children from the CLAJE, a community center in the Villiot-rapée area of the 12th arrondissement of Paris, joined the Designing Hope team for an afternoon of gardening in the Traversine Villiot garden, where they transplanted seedlings collected on the roof … Read More

In February 2025, the Ivory Foundation delivered 11 rolls of wire mesh, 190 angle-iron stakes, 1,500 ml of Galvanized wire, 16 bags of cement and 4 steel gates to equip the 4 villages selected around Dawady to set up a … Read More

Depuis 2024, The Ivory Foundation a associé le réseau Femmes-Maraîchage AND DIMBALANTE de Popenguine, soutenu par Nebeday, à son programme de production de semences paysannes biologiques et reproductibles. Dans ce but, une serre de 200m2 a été installée avec succès … Read More

The Dawady health center, adjacent to the Kambere Kafo market garden, regularly welcomes pregnant women for consultations with the midwife.To encourage them to make these visits, we have set up a system of food parcels, based on the model already … Read More

Installed in 2018 with the support of The Ivory Foundation, the Kambere Kafo market garden in Dawady is welcoming 150 women, each farming 3 plots, supervised by 2 farm managers: Malik and Abdhouramane. In 2024, a water shortage had a … Read More

The Ivory Foundation supports the mobile team set up by the Le Kaicedrat association to visit the 20 villages within a 20km radius of Dawady, in eastern Senegal, and provide support for pregnant women andyoung children in these villages. We … Read More

On the occasion of the start-up of the seed production activity in the greenhouse of the market gardening perimeter of the Femmes-Maraîchage AND DIMBALANTE network in Popenguine, The Ivory Foundation team was able to redefine the project’s objectives with the … Read More

The AND DIMBALANTE women’s market gardening network in Popenguine, supported by the Nebeday association, brings together 67 women, each responsible for an individual garden comprising several growing beds, covering a total of 3 hectares. Since 2024, The Ivory Foundation has … Read More

The Dawady greenhouse, dedicated to seed production, has been in operation since its installation in early 2024 by The Ivory Foundation. Malik and Abdourahmane, who manage the Dawady market garden perimeter, have taken on board the objectives of the program … Read More

The Ivory Foundation has supported the establishment of this project, financing the installation of a greenhouse for seed production, in collaboration with Agrosemens and the Fondation Marie-Pierre Crosnier Mangeat. There are many encouraging signs that this project is getting closer … Read More

Gourel Diamyel is the 4th village around Dawady chosen to set up a market garden.Although there are currently no vegetable gardens in the village, the recent installation of a borehole has facilitated the launch of this initiative. What’s more, a … Read More

Boulèl is one of four villages within a 20 km radius of Dawady that The Ivory Foundation has selected to support the establishment or reinforcement of a market garden. These extremely isolated villages are sorely lacking in fresh fruit and … Read More

In 2024, The Ivory Foundation added Village Pilote to its seed production program in Senegal by installing a 200 m² greenhouse dedicated to the production of reproducible peasant seeds. The aim is to support young people in vulnerable situations by … Read More

The Bala seed production garden, located within the Kaicedrat health center, is part of the organic farmer seed production program launched by The Ivory Foundation and its partners Agrosemens and the Fondation Marie Pierre Crosnier Mangeat in Senegal.The greenhouse produces … Read More

Young deaf and hard-of-hearing farmers from Levi’s Nek have harvested part of their potato field. These vegetables will be added to the tomatoes, peppers and spinach harvested to fill the parcels of fresh vegetables distributed to the most vulnerable HIV-positive … Read More

Young deaf and hard-of-hearing people at Levi’s Nek farm have been able to harvest a large crop of tomatoes and peppers grown in their greenhouse.As part of the long-term partnership between the Farming our Future farm and the Levi’s Nek … Read More

As part of the long-term partnership between the Farming our Future farm and the Levi’s Nek health centre in Lesotho, the farm’s deaf and hard-of-hearing young people contribute to the well-being of HIV-positive patients from many neighbouring villages who are … Read More

Every day, the four women in charge of the Garden of Skills vegetable garden maintain the crops grown on this one-hectare plot of land. Transplanting, weeding, watering, hoeing, sowing… the tasks are many and varied, so as to make the … Read More

In 2024, The Ivory Foundation integrated Village Pilote into its seed production program in Senegal, installing a 200 m² greenhouse dedicated to the production of reproducible peasant seeds. Village Pilote is a Franco-Senegalese association created in 1994, which works to … Read More

The garden to be installed in 2021 by Designing Hope on the roof terrace of the Petits Princes school in Rufisque has undergone several structural changes this year. The school’s canteen has been moved to one of the two roof … Read More

Set up in 2021 by Designing Hope with the support of Marie Munoz, the garden installed on the roof terrace of the Petits Princes school in Rufisque (Senegal) brings many benefits to the children of this inclusive school. Supervised by … Read More

Designing Hope has provided the Petits Princes school in Rufisque with new educational games for children, including memory games on vegetables and insects useful in the garden. These games, tested with the youngest pupils, have been very well received, enriching … Read More

Once the beds had been prepared, and the soil refined and weeded, the women of Roosboom set about preparing a typical bed, sown with carrots in rows close together, according to permaculture principles.In fact, we try to maximize production on … Read More

While the greenhouse is still under construction by the Lesotho team, a team of 4 women and 2 men from Roosboom set about installing the growing beds in the greenhouse, under the guidance of Sphephile and Fezile, who had come … Read More

In order to have a vegetable garden full of vegetables throughout the seasons, it’s crucial to have a well-organized nursery that regularly produces the plants needed to line the garden beds, in addition to the species planted directly in the … Read More

We’re delighted to welcome new groups to the Bercy garden. Curious and full of energy, they were able to explore the garden despite the cold and get a first taste of the plantations and tools they’ll be using in future … Read More

To help birds overwinter in the garden, children from école de Bercy and CLAJE made wooden bird nesting boxes and installed them in both gardens.It’s important for children to become aware of the different species that a garden can be … Read More

To complete the construction and installation of the bird nesting boxes, children from the Bercy school decorated small wooden birds. Once painted and varnished, the children hung them under the garden’s pergola, where aromatic herbs and climbing beans grow alongside … Read More

With the help of our animators, the elementary school students made bird nesting boxes. A nesting box is a small wooden house where birds can safely nest, rest or raise their offspring. The children took it in turns to assemble … Read More

During this creative activity, CLAJE children had the opportunity to express themselves and personalize their own signs by writing their names on them and adding motifs with stencils in the shape of flowers and vegetables. They decorated their signs with … Read More

Once the greenhouse’s wooden poles and metal frame were in place, the sunshade fabric, which had been hand-sewn with a nylon cord, was positioned on the structure. A perimeter trench was then dug all around the greenhouse to bury the … Read More

To complete the nursery, additional seedlings have been placed in traditional seed trays.Regular watering is important to prevent them drying out too quickly.The children at Halfway House take on this task every day! A project undertaken by Designing Hope with … Read More

Once the nursery frame and internal grid had been installed, all that remained to be done was to fit a protective frame with a number of purposes:– Reduce the intensity of the sun’s rays, which are particularly hot in southern … Read More

At Roosboom, young plants have a number of enemies: the sun, lack of water and attacks by locusts and grasshoppers, which love young shoots… So we designed a system of bottomless trellises that has the advantage of drying out less … Read More

With the water reservoir just in place to collect water pumped from the ground by the Halfway house borehole, the plumber laid a large-diameter line from the borehole along the length of the greenhouse to install the drip system. 4 … Read More

After preparing the growing beds inside the greenhouse, the Roosboom team started working on the new plot of land recently made available to Halfway House by Roosboom Town Council. The humid summer is the ideal time to prepare the soil, … Read More

Young farmers from Levi’s Nek farm in Lesotho came to Roosboom to share their know-how and build a 200 m² greenhouse on the Halfway House site, similar to those they have already built on their own farm.Pine poles are set … Read More

Summer, which corresponds to the rainy season in southern Africa, is the ideal time to set up a fertiliser tree nursery. These trees have been chosen for their ability to fertilise the soil by producing nitrogen nodules at their roots, … Read More

In the run-up to Christmas, the children at Bercy kindergarten took part in a creative workshop to make their own greetings cards.We started by cutting out pieces of cardboard to obtain blank cards the size of stencils. Using the stencils, … Read More

All set! All the elements are ready to be hung on the Christmas Teepee in the Traversine Villiot garden! Plant balls, stars decorated with fir branches and pine cones, colored bamboo snowflakes, wooden snowmen… Despite the cold, the children enjoyed … Read More

Children from the Bercy elementary school played an active role in decorating the Christmas Tipi in the Traversine Villiot garden.Among their creations, based exclusively on plants, they decorated stars made from strings wrapped around a wire, using Christmas tree branches … Read More

Christmas is approaching, and the garden teepee is being transformed into a festive Christmas tree! Several workshops were organized to bring this metamorphosis to life…Children from CLAJE (Centre Paris Anim de Villiot) made little snowmen from 2 wooden washers for … Read More

Every year, the tipi in the Villiot vegetable garden is transformed into a Christmas tree, adorned with plant-based Christmas decorations! As part of this animation, pupils from Bercy elementary school made stars by assembling bamboo branches with raffia. After painting … Read More

Children from the Bercy kindergarten made unique, colorful maracas by reusing applesauce containers. To begin with, they applied a coat of varnish to the packaging to make it easier for the paint to adhere. They then chose a solid color … Read More

This afternoon, elementary school pupils created a magnificent piece of Land Art in their school garden. Using dried leaves, chestnuts and small sticks, they imagined and assembled a collective work of art. Everyone contributed in their own way, exchanging ideas … Read More

Children from Bercy elementary school drew inspiration from their own interests to create their own paintings. After gluing the dried leaves to the paper, they drew around them to imagine unique shapes. One, for example, formed a soccer player, while … Read More

Today, the CLAJE children took part in an insect hotel activity. After learning which insects use these shelters to spend the winter, such as ladybugs and solitary bees, they had the opportunity to fill the insect hotel already present in … Read More

In Dawady, a small town 1.5 hours by track from Tambacounda in eastern Senegal, the community garden set up in 2018 by The Ivory Foundation next to the local health center fulfills two objectives:It hosts 150 women in a large … Read More

If there’s one vegetable that amazes children in the Traversine Bercy vegetable garden, it’s the Blauhilde bean from our seed partner : Agrosemens.And yes, this pole bean, which looks so good on our pergola, isn’t green, it’s purple!Its long pods … Read More

After harvesting and preparing the vegetables, we gave them to the kindergarten children at Bercy school to taste, under the garden’s pergola, which was still covered with our climbing beans… They thoroughly enjoyed themselves, with some children preferring the tomato … Read More

Today, children from the school and CLAJE had the opportunity to meet Shapari Behzadi, a visual artist and teacher from Tehran. She organized a creative activity based on natural elements such as branches, leaves, straw and bundles. The activity involved … Read More

We brought back the harvest from the Bercy school garden to cook all the vegetables. We used the tomatoes to make delicious little tarts topped with cheese. Leeks also found their place in our dishes, cooked with onions and olive … Read More

At the start of this mild, sunny autumn, we harvested the last of the vegetables from the Bercy school garden!Leeks, tomatoes, chard, butternut, beans… We harvested a generous basket to cook them for the Semaine du Goût (Taste Week).It was … Read More

Despite a gloomy summer, growing on a roof terrace has the great advantage of capturing 100% of the sun’s rays.So, even if the sun only shows its nose for an hour a day, or plays hide-and-seek with the clouds, its … Read More

Sowing day at Traversine Bercy!As part of our extracurricular activities with the kindergarten, we got 10 children involved in sowing vegetables adapted to the season.Beans, spinach and chard were on the agenda…To sow the seeds with the right spacing between … Read More

Every week, the children hosted by Designing Hope at Roosboom’s Halfway House help to maintain the vegetable garden.Sowing, transplanting, watering, weeding and, of course, harvesting are all on the agenda.The 50 to 60 mother – and father – orphaned children … Read More

In Villiot garden, children from Bercy school and CLAJE had the opportunity to decorate terracotta pots. Using brushes and brightly-colored paints, their creativity was given free rein.  Some chose to decorate their pots with floral motifs, while others preferred abstract … Read More

To mark the annual party at the Villiot residence, the Designing Hope association organised a cooking workshop in the garden to make the most of the produce from the garden.Freshly harvested spinach was cooked with onions to make the main … Read More

The women in charge of the vegetable garden at the Garden of Skills in Malanti, Eswatini, work their beds according to the principle of crop associations.In this way, the beds are never empty, crops are harvested according to kitchen needs, … Read More

In Roosboom, the spring rains are a long time coming.The gardener at Halfway House had to fetch water from the river in cans to water the garden.Water shortages are frequent in the township, putting the garden at risk.

The “wintering” period is not the most favorable for seed production, with its heavy rains favoring the development of diseases such as mildew.Abdhouramane, the man in charge of the Bala garden, has nevertheless maintained a varied production during this period, … Read More

The sheep flock is growing! Two little lambs have just been born…Livestock provides a substantial income for the young residents of Levi’s Nek farm, thanks in particular to wool production.

In Roosboom, the spring rains are a long time coming.The gardener at Halfway House had to fetch water from the river in cans to water the garden.Water shortages are frequent in the township, putting the garden at risk.

The young residents have started installing the automatic watering system. Connected to the pump, it supplies two circuits, one going to the greenhouses, again with a subdivision to water them intermittently, given the lack of pressure. The other circuit supplies … Read More

In Dawady, eastern Senegal, the community garden installed by The Ivory Foundation next to the health center is coming back to life after the well was overburdened.As the water level had dropped, the well had to be deepened by a … Read More

The young residents from the farm asked a neighbouring farmer to come with his tractor to plough the farm’s plot below the greenhouse. The horse was not called upon this time, as the work was too arduous, as these areas … Read More

To enable schoolchildren to observe vegetables throughout their life cycle,we resist the pleasure of tasting them, to let them go to seed…The artichoke in the center of the vegetable garden’s large star-shaped tub revealed a magnificent blue flower, attracting bees … Read More

The snow came as a surprise on Southern Spring Day in Roosboom, South Africa. A violent storm caused the greenhouse to collapse. This was unprecedented in one of South Africa’s warmest regions ! The gardener and the two women in … Read More

Tsephane, the educational farm manager at St Paul’s School for the Deaf in Leribe, welcomes children from the school’s 4 classes twice a week for gardening activities. Each class looks after a plot of land, from sowing to harvesting.

At the Traversine Bercy garden, we focus on observing the life cycle of the vegetable from seed to seed.Our pretty cauliflower was magnificent during summer ! After forming a beautiful white head over 20cm in diameter, it began to change … Read More

On the roof terrace of the Bercy school, space is limited… As a result, the planters are never empty!After removing the tomato plants, they were replaced by celery plants grown in the greenhouse.They will finish growing before winter arrives…

Today, the children at Bercy school took part in a fun activity : a Memory game about fruits and vegetables! Our warmest thanks go to the Garden of Skills sewing workshop in Eswatini for making this lovely fabric game, which … Read More

On their first day at Traversine Bercy, the kindergarteners from the Bercy School had the opportunity to visit the garden and discover the different fruits and vegetables that grow there: beans, strawberries, squash, cherry tomatoes… By observing the inside of … Read More

The women in charge of the garden and the gardener at Halfway House are preparing for the arrival of spring!The cold, dry southern winter will give way to the temperate, rainy summer season, ideal for planting new crops.The beds are … Read More

The rainy season began 1 month ago in the Tambacounda region, and the landscape has undergone a metamorphosis…. The arid expanses have given way to cultivated fields, to produce cereals for 3 months that will be stored for the following … Read More

The Ivory Foundation has financed the establishment of a small agroforestry seed production farm in Bala, eastern Senegal, within the health center of the Le Kaicedrat association.Crops are grown in a 200m2 greenhouse, with insect-proof netting, and on beds planted … Read More

The four women in charge of the vegetable garden at the Garden of Skills water the beds every morning, and the method of combining crops and harvesting them gradually means that the beds are never empty. The women replace vegetables … Read More

The two 200m2 greenhouses set up on the Levi’s Neck farm provide an ideal space for market garden production.Over the winter, the youngsters planted exclusively cabbage, which will be sold at local markets in a few weeks’ time.In the spring, … Read More

The henhouse at Levi’s Nek farm provides an important source of protein for the young residents of Levi’s Nek farm by producing a large quantity of eggs. The male population is limited to a few units, so the roosters are … Read More

Every day, the women take turns maintaining the Malanti community garden. Part of the Garden of Skills, this 2,000m2 plot of cultivated land is open to the women of the Malanti community, who each benefit from 3 plots of land. … Read More

The women at the Garden of Skills have prepared a sieved mixture of soil, compost, manure and biochar to enrich the seedling trays in their nursery and prepare new seedlings for spring. Seedlings are sown in plastic trays and cups, … Read More

As well as cabbages, the young people at Levi’s Nek farm have successfully grown lettuce seeds supplied by organic seed company Agrosemens. These have adapted particularly well to the local climate.

Joseph has transplanted his courgette and cucumber plants into specially prepared trays on the roof terrace of the Rufisque school. The plants are benefiting from plenty of sunshine, which is ideal for their growth.  

Fezile, who is in charge of the vegetable garden at the Garden of Skills, has started transplanting the celery plants grown in the greenhouse. The opportunity to fill the Mandala, a flower-shaped garden located at the entrance to the center, … Read More

Keit has been supporting Designing Hope with its sewing projects for 10 years. This year, it has provided the association with dozens of medical outfits for distribution in its areas of action. While most were distributed to Piggs Peak Hospital, … Read More

Every week, the children of Roosboom take part in the upkeep of the Roosboom vegetable garden, helping the women and the center’s gardener with watering, sowing, planting and harvesting the vegetables that will end up on their plates!A daily meal … Read More

The women in the sewing workshop were commissioned by Cemag-Care to make Tote bags bearing the message ‘My period, my period’, a message from this innovative laboratory committed to helping women with difficult and heavy periods and contraception. The collaboration … Read More

As they do every month, Siphephile and Futhi visit Piggs Peak Hospital to deliver food parcels to the hospital’s most vulnerable patients. They receive vegetables, as much as possible and depending on the season, produced at Malanti in the Garden … Read More

To enrich the soil in the various plots cultivated on the farm, the young residents of Levi’s Nek went to collect manure from a nearby sheep and cow farm. At night, the animals are kept in a stone pen close … Read More

Every day, the children of the women working in the garden, or training in the sewing workshop, are welcomed at the Garden of Skills crèche. Two supervisors are in charge of activities with the children, including outdoor activities and Montessori-based … Read More

A heavy storm tore off the roof of the animal shelter at Levi’s Neck Farm. The roof structure has therefore been redesigned to better withstand the next gusts of wind, frequent in the region. The Ivory Foundation immediately sent the … Read More

The women in charge of the vegetable garden at the Garden of Skills spend part of each day looking after the nursery: watering the growing cells, preparing new cells, sowing new plants, etc. It’s important to put new seedlings into … Read More

The new community plot in the Garden of Skills (Jardin des Savoir-Faire) is a resplendent sight! 16 women have accepted the invitation from Designing Hope and its local partner Fundzisa Live to set up a family vegetable garden on 3 … Read More

The young deaf and hard-of-hearing people of Levi’s Nek have a ritual: to gather around the fire every evening, a convivial moment to warm up in winter, and even sometimes throughout the year, as the nights in this mountainous region … Read More

As winter draws to a close, it’s time for the youngsters to shear the sheep! It’s a great opportunity to try out the new professional shears they now have for this task. The wool collected will be resold and will … Read More

The tomatoes sown by the children of the Bercy school before the arrival of spring have blossomed in the Traversine kitchen garden!Elongated tomatoes, beef hearts, cherry tomatoes – we chose a variety of varieties, and they all flourished during the … Read More

Every day, the children at Halfway House in Roosboom help to look after the garden that provides the vegetables for their daily meals. Today’s mission is to water the spinach plants grown in the greenhouse and transplanted into the vegetable … Read More

The Roosboom gardener and the two women in charge of the centre set about preparing the beds for transplanting the spinach produced in the greenhouse at the end of winter. The soil is extremely dry, winter being the rainiest season … Read More

The Levi’s Nek farm has grown over the months, and the surface area now reaches 3 hectares, following the acquisition of new plots. Thus, a horse was welcomed on the farm to help the young people with the maintenance of … Read More

The young residents of the farm of Levi’s Nek have started preparing their maize seedlings. To do this, they make a mixture of manure previously sieved on a perforated sheet, to which they incorporate biochar, produced with the support of The Ivory Foundation in Eswatini, as well … Read More

A wonderful initiative was recently launched near Malanti: the distribution of school uniforms to underprivileged children in local schools. The aim is to help families in difficulty and ensure that all children can go to school in a country where … Read More

Joseph, who is in charge of the Rufisque garden, has prepared a mixture of compost and potting soil to fill the trays in the new vegetable garden structures. It’s a team effort that’s much appreciated by the children, who love … Read More

Today, the children from Bercy Elementary took part in a gardening activity by planting herbs. Sage, rosemary, thyme, lemon verbena, mint, and lemon balm were all carefully planted by our young gardeners. It was a great opportunity for them to … Read More

Just before the holidays, the children at Bercy school had the pleasure of harvesting strawberries from the garden, as well as vegetables such as radishes, turnips, chard and courgettes.They were also able to observe a cauliflower in full growth…

The trays are ready, and now it’s time to transplant the tomato, courgette and celery plants prepared in the garden’s greenhouses.

The Traversine Villiot garden often benefits from donations from local residents. A superb olive tree sits in the middle of our mandala.This summer, the garden was enriched by two newcomers : a large fig tree, which was struggling to flourish … Read More

We are pleased to announce the birth of two new lambs at Levi’s Nek farm. These little balls of wool quickly found their place among the other animals and bring new energy to the herd, which now numbers 16 animals. … Read More

Twice a week, the children from the Villiot crèche visit the Traversine Villiot vegetable garden.This well-established ritual involves maintaining the compost with peelings from the crèche kitchen, collected by the children in the morning, and watering the vegetable garden with … Read More

Now that all the trays are in place, and summer is just around the corner, the Traversine Villiot vegetable garden has been fitted with an automatic watering system connected to 5 networks covering all the trays. Zones have been established … Read More

As the school year draws to a close, the children took part in a final harvest in the Traversine Bercy garden.Strawberries, radishes, turnips, the first cherry tomatoes and a sprig of lavender…The children were delighted to see their efforts in … Read More

The women in charge of the garden have prepared lettuce plants in the greenhouse, which will be entrusted to the women of Malanti for their community garden. The greenhouse, covered with a 40% shade net, provides a space protected from … Read More

The women of the Malanti community wanted to install a mandala on their community garden plot in the Jardin des Savoir-Faire, just like the one on the main plot. This shared garden was set up by Dessine l’Espoir to welcome … Read More

Every day, Tholakele, Fezile, Nomvula, Thabile and Thobile are in charge of tending the beds at the Garden of Knowledge in Malanti, Eswatini.The winter season is the dry season, and watering is essential in the morning.

At the Garden of Skills, the children in the crèche start the day by tending their own little vegetable garden, the Teen-Gi garden, accompanied by the crèche manager and one of the women in charge of the centre’s garden. The … Read More

Twice a week, weather permitting, the children from the Villiot Rapée crèche help to maintain the vegetable garden. After planting the leeks 2 weeks ago, they are now ensuring that they grow well by conscientiously watering them…

The opening system for the mini greenhouses of the Traversine Bercy has been improved to make it easier to look after the plants.A window has been cut into each side of the roof, allowing easy opening and rapid access to … Read More

It’s Friday, the last day of the week before the weekend! So it’s time for some special care for the garden, which will spend the weekend on its own. The children from the Bercy school helped us to water and … Read More

This day has arrived! We’ve finished assembling the garden on the roof terrace of the Bercy nursery school.All the structures are in place. All that’s left is for nature to do its work (and us too)!

The tomatoes sown with the children from the Bercy elementary and nursery schools were able to be transplanted into the greenhouse and benefit from the ideal sunshine of the school’s roof terrace. Since they were placed in the tubs, they … Read More

This Wednesday, exceptionally, we only had one pupil from Bercy elementary school, as the children were on a field trip. She was very committed and helped us water, weed and take care of the garden. We’re particularly pleased with the … Read More

In June, the tomato plants on the roof terrace of the Bercy school grew exponentially. Several sessions with the children consisted of delicately tying the tomato plants with raffia on bamboo stakes.

Every day, the young residents of Levi’s Nek Farm take it in turns to look after the animals. The hens are now fed on the farm’s self-produced maize meal. The sheep graze during the day and return to the farm … Read More

The star planter was designed in the same way as the other planters :A watertight tray is filled with clay balls to form a water reserve. Geotextile is laid on top to prevent the soil from mixing with the balls. … Read More

Plot by plot, the young residents of Levi’s Nek Farm optimise the space available for cultivation. They work with local farmers for the first ploughing, using cattle to pull the ploughing tools. The grelinette, an 80 cm wide spade, a … Read More

The young residents of Levi’s Nek Farm, who are deaf and hard of hearing, are building a second greenhouse as an extension to the first. This will give them a covered area of 400m2 for market gardening. This space will … Read More

After preparing the growing beds, the young residents of Levi’s Nek Farm had the pleasure of planting their nursery-prepared lettuce plants. These plants, grown from seeds supplied by our partner Agrosemens, will benefit from a protected space during the southern … Read More

Children from the Bercy nursery school have planted shallot bulbs to start filling the containers around the star in the Traversine Villiot garden.Other vegetables will follow, to create a concentrated vegetable garden in this sunny spot in the heart of … Read More

The Traversine Bercy has been given a new design following its relocation in 2021 due to a problem with seepage on the roof! The mandala has been replaced by a star-shaped planter, surrounded by 4 angled planters placed between each … Read More

To reduce the weight of the planters, dead leaves from the schoolyard were collected and composted over a period of 2 years and placed at the bottom of the planter to create a rich, light substrate before planting the soil. … Read More

The young residents of Levi’s Nek had the opportunity to try their hand at growing cowpeas, a bean that is highly prized in West Africa for its leaves and seeds. Dried beans are widely consumed in southern Africa, so the … Read More

At the request of the school, which has noted the success of the Rufisque vegetable garden, we are extending the garden to increase the production of vegetables for the kitchen and involve more children, particularly the younger ones in nursery … Read More

A new stage in the construction of the garden at the Traversine Bercy, with the installation of the herb garden. The little gardeners from the Bercy nursery helped to fill the containers, and had the pleasure of transplanting sage, chives, … Read More

It’s assembly time ! Once all the materials have been reassembled on the roof, installation can begin. The Douglas fir boards have been pre-cut to size according to the new garden plans. Once the boards have been screwed in place, … Read More

In anticipation of the Traversine’s return to the school’s roof terrace, seedlings were sown in class with the children from the Bercy nursery school.This gave them a heated space in which to grow. To ensure that they continue to grow, … Read More

The Halfway House is a place for children to relax and enjoy themselves after school every day. They can enjoy outdoor games as well as board games inside the house, in addition to the daily meals they are served.These happy … Read More

The greenhouse at Levi’s Nek Farm is now up and running! In order to get the greenhouse operational without delay, the young residents set about installing the growing beds inside. To do this, they applied the principle of permaculture and … Read More

The trees in the Garden of Skills have started to grow and are now approaching 1 metre in height. In a year’s time, they should reach 3 metres and start providing shade for the crops while fertilising the soil on … Read More

While waiting for the seedlings to be ready for transplanting, the Garden of Skills team gave chive plants to the women who will be benefiting from the new community garden. Each woman will place them on her three growing beds. … Read More

The Garden of Skills’ turmeric plants are in flower!Soon the tubers will be ready to be harvested underground, to be used to flavour the dishes cooked for the women who benefit from the garden.

The children from the Halfway House work on the vegetable garden with the centre’s gardener and two carers, Lulu and Fisani.

The Designing Hope association and its local partner Fundzisa Live approached the community of Malanti about extending the Garden of Skills to invite women from the community to set up individual plots. The community responded favourably to this request, and … Read More

The children play an active role in maintaining the garden that provides the vegetables for their daily meals. Today, they planted seedlings that will soon enrich the vegetable garden.

A shredder has been purchased to equip the farm of the young deaf and hard-of-hearing residents, enabling them to transform the harvested maize stalks into feed for their poultry. The youngsters  had the ingenious idea of using the grinder to … Read More

A local health centre, located near the Levi’s Nek farm, has been approached with the aim of developing links with the deaf young residents of the farm. A counsellor from the hospital, currently based at the clinic, will take part … Read More

The Parisian atelier Keit has generously donated medical uniforms to the association Designing Hope for distribution to its various African partners. The association gave the medical staff at the Levi’s Nek health centre the opportunity to choose an outfit from … Read More

The six young students from St Paul’s School are responsible for the maintenance of the ‘Palisa’ garden. The garden has been divided into four sections. Each class at St Paul’s is responsible for maintaining one part of the garden, once … Read More

The workshop at Levi’s Nek Farm is now fully equipped, allowing the young residents to make themselves everything they need for the farm. For example, to build their greenhouse, they made a metal ladder, which they were able to weld … Read More

Fesile presents the seedlings sown in the greenhouse as the southern winter approaches.The seeds were selected from the organic seed catalogue of agrosemens, a partner of Designing Hope.

This afternoon, children from the Paris Anim centre (CLAJE) came to the Traversine Villiot garden for a potato planting activity. Potatoes are easy for children to plant: all they have to do is put a tuber in the ground, which … Read More

This afternoon, children from the Paris Anim centre (CLAJE) came to the Traversine Villiot garden for a potato planting activity. Potatoes are easy for children to plant: all they have to do is put a tuber in the ground, which … Read More

The children at Halfway House in Roosboom are taking good care of their seedlings, taking turns watering them every day. There’s still a few days to wait before they can be planted in the vegetable garden…

The greenhouse is an important part of the garden at HalfWay House in Roosboom.  It allows nurseries to be set up sheltered from direct sunlight, and protects certain crops from invasions of locusts and grasshoppers.  The children also help the gardener … Read More

After three years of work, the roof of the kindergarten is once again available to the Designing Hope association. The installation of the Traversine garden in its new configuration began with the re-installation of the little house-shaped greenhouses, so popular … Read More

The young residents of Levi’s Nek farm have started to put up the fence around the farm’s pasture. This area of over a hectare is situated high above the farmhouse, on the edge of the forest. The fence will enable … Read More

The children at Halfway House and the centre’s gardener take great care of the flower-shaped Mandala vegetable garden.Before winter, tagetes, cabbage and spinach remain on the petals.

Following the successful construction of a 300 m² greenhouse at the Saint-Paul School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Leribe, the young residents of Levi’s Nek have embarked on the construction of two other structures, each measuring 200 … Read More

After installing the wooden poles, metal rods and ropes, the young people proceeded to cover the greenhouses with a sun-resistant textile, providing protection against the scorching rays of the sun and heavy seasonal rains in southern Africa. This textile was … Read More

After setting the vertical poles in cement, the young residents of Levi’s Nek Farm position the horizontal metal rods and wires that will support the fabric covering the greenhouse.

Among the games available to children at the Rufisque school, the vegetable domino game is particularly popular. The children have to find the vegetables corresponding to their coloured board. They then have to sort the vegetables by size on their … Read More

Designing Hope has provided educational games based around vegetables, which are particularly popular with the children at the Rufisque school. Joseph is in charge of these classroom activities, as well as working directly on the school roof to water and … Read More

Several times a week, children from the Handiscole school in Rufisque help to maintain the vegetable garden installed by Designing Hope on the school’s roof terrace. Joseph, the gardener, accompanies the children along with their teachers.

A second terrace has been added to the Rufisque garden.  For the moment, it includes two seedling tables dedicated to herbs, soon to be supplemented by additional modules.

Every month, Designing Hope and its local partner Fundzisa Live distribute food parcels to the most vulnerable HIV-positive patients treated at Piggs Peak Hospital. They benefit from this programme for 6 months, in order to strengthen their natural defences.

The young residents of Levi’s Nek farm have started to put up the fence around the farm’s pasture. This area of over a hectare is situated high above the farmhouse, on the edge of the forest. The fence will enable … Read More

This Wednesday afternoon, the children from the Paris Anim centre (CLAJE) came to the Traversine de Villiot garden for a sowing activity. We provided them with mini greenhouses, composed of a equipped with a water reserve, a seedling tray and … Read More

The children at Bercy primary schools planted tomatoes, okra, cowpeas and kale. They have completed four mini greenhouses, each with two different varieties to diversify the planting. Their mission is not just a one-off one, but a recurring one, as … Read More

With the support of The Ivory Foundation, a 200m2 greenhouse has been installed in the Dawady community vegetable garden. The greenhouse will enable the 150 women who contribute to the garden to produce seedlings together, and will also enable local … Read More

A series of manuals on nutrition, published by The Ivory Foundation, has been distributed to the gardens funded by The Ivory Foundation in Senegal. The manuals stress the importance of a balanced diet, and encourage women to grow a variety … Read More

Ndioum is one of the 20 villages visited by Bala’s mobile team in eastern Senegal. The Ivory Foundation financed the creation of a shared vegetable garden for the women of the village. This plot has been fenced off to protect … Read More

On the Bala seed farm, a new agroforestry technique has been introduced outside the greenhouse. It involves creating growing corridors surrounded by Morigna trees, planted in rows and trimmed to form a hedge. These corridors are 4 metres wide and … Read More

Abdhouramane, manager of the Bala seed farm, tells us about the crops grown in the greenhouse: aubergines, turnips, lettuces, onions… the greenhouse combines several species, but in a single variety to preserve the varietal purity of the species selected by … Read More

The construction of a workshop has been launched to provide the young residents of Levi’s Nek farm with a workspace and a place to store their equipment. Once up and running, this workshop will enable the deaf and hard-of-hearing young … Read More

The six young students of the St Paul’s school pilot farm are looking after the cabbage and spinach grown in the greenhouse, which will soon be used by the kitchen to provide meals for the pupils. At the same time, … Read More

This Wednesday, February 14th, the children at Bercy school played a board game that challenges their memory and cooperation: the vegetable colour families game! The game includes 7 vegetable colours, with 6 vegetables per colour, making 42 cards in duplicate. … Read More

Joseph, the gardener at the Rufisque school, harvested an excellent crop of okra this year. Following a training course organized with The Ivory Foundation, he harvested the best fruits, dried them and extracted the seeds. The seeds used were organic … Read More

After planting maize on one of their plots, the young people at Levi’s Nek farm are now sowing climbing bean seeds at the foot of the maize plants that have already grown. They use the Milpa technique, which involves combining … Read More

Today, the children at Bercy primary schools discovered an exciting new board game. It’s called Clover! In this game, they have to use their creativity and logic to find combinations of vegetables and fruit. Each card they place on their … Read More

At Levi’s Nek, the division of tasks between the young residents works perfectly well! Damane is the group’s baker, and twice a week he prepares bread for the 10 residents of the farm. The bread is baked in a pan … Read More

Exchanges of experience between projects in southern Africa also take the form of exchanges of plants and seeds. For example, the women from the Garden of Skills have given sweet potato plants, strawberry runners and Chya cuttings to the young … Read More

An herb garden has been created at the entrance to the farm, using stones salvaged from old buildings to create a terraced garden and steps to access the garden. Aromatic herbs and medicinal plants were purchased from a nursery in … Read More

Chya is a shrub from Mexico that was imported to Africa because of its resistance to drought and its higher nutritional value than most other leafy vegetables such as spinach, Chinese cabbage and amaranth. It is a good source of … Read More

The tipi in the Traversine Villiot garden was decked out with plant decorations made by children from the Bercy school, nursery school, creche and Paris Anim centre. Mrs Emanuelle Pierre-Marie, Mayor of the 12th arrondissement, came to inaugurate our Christmas … Read More

This December, despite the cold, the kindergarten children planted broad bean and pea seeds, which are particularly suited to the winter season.These seeds are ideal for very young children, as they are easy to handle, given their size.After planting the … Read More

During the summer, the tipi in the Villiot garden is covered with climbing beans and squash. With no vegetation left over the winter, we decided to bring it back to life by transforming it into a Christmas tree! We organised … Read More

Designing Hope has mobilised all the children who benefit from the Villiot garden to transform the potager’s tepee into a Christmas tree. This morning, 8 children from the Villiot crèche contributed to the project by decorating bread apples with red … Read More

Broad beans are one of the few crops that have to be sown in late autumn.Their large seeds are easy for the children to plant, and in a few days they will be able to see the shoots emerge…Another advantage … Read More

This morning, the children from the nursery school arrived with their compost buckets. Enthusiastically, they put the peelings in our dedicated wooden bin. Then they went to pick up some leaves to add to the compost. Using a stick, they … Read More

Malik and Abdhouramane, Dawady’s two gardeners, are tasked with visiting the shared gardens run by women in 5 outlying villages. They travel to the bush by motorbike every month to monitor the needs of these gardens…

The latest phase in the development of the Levi’s Nek farm is the construction of a 6×3 metre workshop, close to the other buildings.This workshop includes an enclosed storeroom for tools and animal feed, and a covered area where young people can work with wood or … Read More

Children from Handiscole’s inclusive Petits Princes school in Rufisque help Joseph, the gardener, to water the vegetable garden installed on the roof of the school by Dessine l’Espoir. It’s a relaxing moment for the children, who enjoy tending the garden as the … Read More

The women of the Garden of Skills now wear work outfits created in the center’s sewing workshop. These unique jackets bear the Porte-Bonheurs flower. The patterns and design were created by Keit, our sewing project partner. The garden team stands … Read More

Watering the garden with the nursery children has become a regular and popular activity. Under the supervision of Tolaklele, a member of the garden team, and Ncobizwe, head of the creche, the children play an active role in maintaining the … Read More

The end of winter is the perfect time to take cuttings.So, with the help of the Claje children, we pruned the blackcurrant bush in the Traversine Villiot garden.Children with balconies were able to take a pot home with them, with the promise … Read More

Broad beans are one of the few crops that have to be sown in late autumn. Their large seeds are easy for the children to plant, and in a few days they will be able to see the shoots emerge…Another … Read More

Fisani and Lulu were able to try on their work jacket and trousers made by the team at the Garden of Skills sewing workshop in Eswatini. The made-to-measure workwear bears the logo of the local association that runs the Halfway House in Roosboom. A … Read More

A nursery has been set up for the children of women in training. Thanks to the support of the AA Ulmann Foundation, this facility enables the women to engage fully in a professional activity or training program, while providing a … Read More

To carry out a test protocol on seeds to ensure that they have retained their germinative germinative properties, you can work on twenty seeds, sown in pots. The seed packets and plates are identified. All the seeds with a good germination rate can then be sown immediately on a … Read More

The beds in the garden at Halfway House in Roosboom have been redesigned by the gardener in charge of the kitchen garden. They are now ready for spring planting, and to benefit from the arrival of the first rains after … Read More

Children enthusiastically play the games developed by Dessine l’Espoir around vegetables from the kitchen garden. These fun and educational activities enable youngsters to discover the world of vegetables in an interactive and entertaining way. Thanks to these games, they learn … Read More

The children at Roosboom enjoy playing outside on the large lawn at Half Way House after lunch, while others water the garden with the centre’s gardener.

The youngsters at the Half Way House in Rooseboom were able to try out the new game launched by the association, which completes the transgardens catalogue for educational games in all the gardens run by Dessine l’Espoir and The Ivory … Read More

The gardeners at Yagma have put in place new planting beds following the end of the rainy season. The seedlings planted in October and November will benefit from a milder climate to reach maturity before the very hot weather starts in March.

In Lesotho, it is not uncommon for a landowner to want the house built on the plot of land he is selling back.The materials salvaged (stones, tin roof, window, door) will be used to rebuild the house elsewhere…This was the case … Read More

Levi’s Nek farm is located in an exceptional natural setting, at the foot of a small hill that gives absolutely no hint of the exceptional view that can be enjoyed from its summit.The young people on the farm collect dead wood on … Read More

The young deaf and dumb farmers  were trained in metalwork. They were able to make the 12 bed frames for their dormitory, as well as the tables and shelves needed to fit out the farm. This skill is an asset that … Read More

With the support of The Ivory Foundation, a new plot of land has just been acquired to extend the farm.This plot is modest in size, but essential for the future of the project, as it can be built on.It will be dedicated … Read More

The Levi’s Nek farm has 2 dormitories and a shared living room where young people share their meals.The youths take it in turns to prepare their meals. They have got into the habit of cooking balanced meals for themselves, with … Read More

A new species of indigenous hen has been introduced to the Levi’s Nek farm, and they are impressive for their size and plumage. They are also capable of laying large eggs, which are highly prized on the local market.The presence of several males … Read More

Using off-cuts from the boards used for the beds, large shelves were designed to fit out the workshop and the storage room for seeds and feed for the farm animals.The aim was also, as part of the metal training offered … Read More

The youngsters at Levi’s Nek have taken a liking to board games. Dominoes, triominoes, uno – they’ve discovered this activity recently, and are enjoying this relaxing time together.

One of the first objects made during the metal training course organised by Cyrille Varet at Levi’s Nek farm for The Ivory Foundation was a workbench, the starting point for designing all the objects the woman will need…  Other tables will follow, a sideboard … Read More

While the young people on the Levi’s Nek farm may have unequal skills and potential, there is a constant desire on the part of the group for everyone to be involved in the farm’s activities.The strongest prepare the soil, while the weakest … Read More

The Ivory Foundation has provided the Levi’s Nek farm with grid seedling trays. These are modular, and can offer either 5cm or 10cm cells depending on the plants.

Gardeners at the Yagma school have set up a nursery using seeds supplied by Agrosemens. The seeds are intended for seed production, according to a protocol developed during regional training organised by The Ivory Foundation with its seed partner Agrosemens in Senegal. The seedlings were … Read More

The canteen at Yagma school was financed by The Ivory Foundation along with the surrounding agroforestry garden in 2017. This year, the Fund has financed its extension to provide the children with a refectory where they can have lunch sheltered from the … Read More

The young farmers on the Levi’s Nek farm have planted their first vegetable seedlings on the beds they have prepared near their home. These local beds will be planted with a variety of vegetables for the young people’s daily diet. Field crops will … Read More

The Traversine Villiot garden now has a new feature: a keyhole garden. It features a central composter, whose decomposing elements will feed the circular growing tray that surrounds it. This is a new educational space for the children who visit the garden every week.

Keyhole of the Traversine Villiot gardenThe Traversine Villiot garden now has a new feature: a keyhole garden.It features a central composter, whose decomposing elements will feed the circular growing tray that surrounds it.This is a new educational space for the … Read More

The young people take possession of the Levi’s Nek farm at the end of the southern winter, which is cold and dry in Lesotho (temperatures can drop to -4 degrees). So it’s time to start preparing the beds for the market garden crops that will … Read More

Levi’s Nek farm includes a house for the farm manager, with a separate office for farm administration, as well as an apartment for him to live in next to the youth dormitory.

The Ivory Foundation has been supporting St Paul’s School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since 2015.This year, the Fund gave a boost to the school, which is struggling to secure financial support from the Ministry of Education, and financed the … Read More

The Levi’s Nek farm and the project it represents are beginning to be known by the surrounding community.The farm manager, with the support of the village chief, took the initiative of contacting the neighbours to present the farm and its objectives. Thanks … Read More

The young residents of Levi’s Nek Farm share their meal on the large table in the living room adjoining the two dormitories in the accommodation block built for them on the farm. Starch, vegetable sauce and chicken from the farm are on the … Read More

As they do every day, the youngsters at Levi’s Nek farm are in charge of feeding the sheep and hens.The hens’ pen will be opened first to allow them to feed themselves first, before their big neighbours the sheep are fed in turn…

Every evening, the young people at Levi’s Nek farm like to gather around the large table in the lounge at the entrance to the dormitories to play board games.

The main principle of the Levi’s Nek farm is to give the deaf and hard-of-hearing youths who run it the opportunity to be independent, to acquire as many skills as possible so that they are able to meet all their day-to-day needs … Read More

Levi’s Nek farm is nestled between several mountains. There’s nothing like climbing them to get a bird’s eye view of the farm, with its ploughed-up fields ready for planting.

The young people at Levi’s Nek have got into the habit of preparing a fire every morning and evening.They use it to keep warm in winter, but there is always a pot on the fire, either to heat water for washing (despite … Read More

The youngsters on the Levi’s Nek farm share the daily tasks involved in farm life.One of these tasks is the preparation of bread. 4 balls of pasta are kneaded by hand and placed in a large covered saucepan, where the bread rises and is then cooked over a … Read More

The Ivory Foundation has been supporting St Paul’s School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Leribe since 2015. While this support has until now focused mainly on setting up vegetable and animal protein production facilities to feed the … Read More

At the opening ceremony of the farm, we donated the uniforms made by the women of the Garden of Skills in Eswatini to the youths, who were very touched by this gesture, as they had been trained in permaculture by … Read More

In order to help the young deaf and hard-of-hearing residents of the farm integrate into the Levi’s Nek community, an inauguration ceremony was organised for the young people, members of their families (some of whom came from very modest backgrounds and lived … Read More

At the inauguration of the Levi’s Nek farm, the young people were able to see and try on the complete outfit made for each of them by the women of the Garden of Skills in Eswatini. They were extremely proud … Read More

For almost 10 years now, the biochar burner installed by The Ivory Foundation in Bulembu has been working tirelessly to produce this input that helps retain water and nutrients in the soil, while capturing carbon in an environmentally friendly way. Two people are in … Read More

The insects By observing insects in nature, one learns a lot about their way of life. Insects known as pests are eaten by other so-called auxiliary insects. Pollinators that forage flowers are essential for the reproduction of many plants and … Read More

The women at the Garden of Skills love strawberries, and strawberries really thrive in Eswatini…The small plot dedicated to this crop has been considerably enlarged, thanks to the collection of runners and their transplanting onto new plots. These strawberries are … Read More

The Malanti greenhouse provides a protected space for seedlings from the nursery, sown in pots, as well as for a selection of vegetables protected from the sun and insects.

The women in charge of the vegetable garden at the Garden of Skills have picked a large harvest to add to the food baskets distributed to hospital patients. Fresh carrots and beetroot will join other vegetables and essentials bought in town for distribution to … Read More

The women in charge of the beds in the Garden of Skills put into practice the well-known advice of gardeners: “One hoeing is worth two waterings”. By loosening the upper crust of the soil, the water is able to penetrate … Read More

Nomvula, head of cultivation at the Garden of Skills in Malanti, harvests carrots to unthicken her beds, entrusting part of the harvest to a disadvantaged young person from the community of Malanti, who receives regular help from the association with donations of … Read More

The Mandala in the Garden of Skills is a concentration of all the species grown in the vegetable garden at the Malanti centre. Located at the entrance, it plays both an aesthetic and educational role. Located close to the vegetable garden, it’s also the ideal … Read More

The young people at Levi’s Nek farm have begun building a 12-metre-long shelter for the farm’s sheep and chickens. Levi’s Neck farm includes a one-hectare pasture for sheep and, in the near future, cows. This enclosed shelter is only used at night to protect the … Read More

The trellis at Traversine Villiot is now entirely covered with mulberry trees! Maintained in this way, they are developing rapidly, with stems reaching up to 4 metres! Enough to provide a shady passageway that is beginning to fill with fruit … Read More

The mandala in the Garden of Skills is located at the entrance to the garden, near the kitchen. It includes a sample of the crops grown in the kitchen garden: shallots, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, etc.

The strawberries love the Garden of Skills just as much as the women in the garden love the strawberries…Just the thing… The plants have produced a huge number of runners, which the women have taken care to transplant onto new … Read More

In the Yagma school district, during the rainy season, the massive quantity of rainwater cannot be absorbed by the compact soil of the area, and runs off into pools that have formed in places in the middle of the city, encouraging the … Read More

Every year during the rainy season, the Yagma district is flooded with water running down the dirt tracks.Real ephemeral rivers sometimes block the streets. The agroforestry garden at the Yagma school is shown in these photos as an island spared … Read More

During the rainy season, the Yagma gardeners planted a combination of squash and maize in the school garden. Maize, which needs water, is particularly suited to this crop, and appreciates the companionship of cucurbits, according to the Milpa principle.

At the Bala seed farm, a different agroforestry technique has been introduced. Until then, fertiliser trees had criss-crossed the land. On this new plot, the corridor cultivation technique was used. The moringa plants are planted in a tight row, and … Read More

Dessine l’Espoir has developed a collection of educational games about gardening and the environment. To make them easier to handle, the association has asked the women of Eswatini to make the bags, hand-embroidered with the name of the games and … Read More

As part of the seed production project launched in West Africa by The Ivory Foundation in collaboration with Agrosemens, Abdourahmane, the gardener at the Bala seed farm, is currently transplanting courgettes into beds in the seed greenhouse. Courgettes are preferred … Read More

At Bala, Abdourahmane has set up a variety of crops. Two varieties of basil are grown for seed production. One is in flower and will soon be producing seeds. Okra will also be harvested once the fruit has ripened for … Read More

At Bala, gardener Abdourahmane has planted a variety of local crops, including okra, chilli peppers and cassava.

With the dormitory now complete, three young people from St Monica said farewell to the farm that had been their home for 3 years and moved to their new home in Levi’s Nek. Three young people stayed on to look … Read More

A local vegetable garden is planned to provide a variety of vegetables and herbs for their personal use.Until the garden is up and running, the vegetables have been bought from Levi’s Nek stores….

The Ivory Foundation has planned to install the Levi’s Nek farm manager, Leepa Mosehle, who has been accompanying young deaf and hard-of-hearing people in this educational farm project since 2015.  This building will include both his home and an office … Read More

Twice a week, children from the Villiot nursery help to maintain the garden. After enriching the compost with peelings from their canteen, they help to water the vegetable garden.

As part of their work tending the Traversine Villiot vegetable garden, the nursery school children from école de Bercy transplanted lettuce plants onto the mandala and the garden beds.

The climbing beans sown last April on the Traversine Villiot tipi have reached the top in just a few months!The first flowers are starting to turn into beans! This species (from Agrosemens seed) produces purple vegetables that turn green when … Read More

The women of the Garden of Skills have had one since the launch of the project and make good use of it to prepare the beds. The cultivation plots have been sized to a width of 80cm to fit the … Read More

5 women are in charge of the cultivation beds in the Garden of Skills, a daily task carried out since 2021, when the project began in the Malanti hills in Eswatini. Growing the plants in parallel rows at right angles … Read More

Herbs and edible flowers are an important part of the crops grown in the large kitchen garden at Lauris to enhance the dishes served by the Domaine de Fontenille restaurant.

Every year, two classes from Lauris spend a day in the large vegetable garden at the Domaine de Fontenille. The treasure hunt through the vegetable garden ends with a visit to the donkey patch, which is a big hit with … Read More

One of the outdoor activities devised by Transgarden for children is a balancing game. The children turn two wheels: one indicating natural elements (pebbles, bread apples, branches, etc.) and the other indicating an area of the body (neck, forearm, elbow, … Read More

The Grand Potager at Domaine de Fontenille, which is entirely organically farmed, is an ideal refuge for insects, which enjoy the flowers in the garden and help pollinate them.

The Yagma garden team prepared courgette and maize beds before the onset of the rainy season. Maize requires a lot of water, so this season is ideal for planting and growing it. Its rapid growth will enable it to be … Read More

The Malanti greenhouse, built by young deaf and hard-of-hearing people from the Lesotho-based “Farming our Future” association, is a real asset for the women in the Garden of Skills. It enables them to sow their crops sheltered from the sun … Read More

Every day, the young beneficiaries of Farming our future take turns on the site to see the work in progress. They also help to transport materials to the site, which is difficult for lorries to access

The main buildings are now in place on the constructible part of the farm. The main building is typical of Lesotho, with its breezeblocks joined like stone and a worked cornice that surrounds and hides the corrugated iron roof. The … Read More

The exterior finishes was completed and the roof has been laid. The workers are finalising the interior fittings.  In the living room, the tiles have been laid and a kitchen has been made to measure by a joiner.

Every day, the Half Way House in Roosboom welcomes between 45 and 60 underprivileged children from the Roosboom township. To mark the presentation of the games donated by the Apprentices of Auteuil, a barbecue was organised to complement the daily … Read More

As with the Jardin des Savoir-Faire in Eswatini, The Ivory Foundation called on Wendy Lane, a designer of wooden chalets, to create a double accommodation unit for its volunteers. The advantage of these structures, pre-assembled in a workshop in South … Read More

The women in charge of the Garden of Skills at Malanti in Eswatini are preparing the selection of seeds that they will put into pots in the greenhouse. It’s a painstaking task, so as not to waste this precious resource … Read More

The Ivory Foundation commissioned a local contractor to drill and install a pump to supply water to the Levi’s Nek farm. The presence of water on the site was essential to launch the construction of the farm buildings (cement production) … Read More

As part of the extra-curricular activities at Bercy school, a colouring workshop was organised on the theme of “lucky charm” flowers by the Dessine l’Espoir association. After creating a model of their project, the children drew it on an A3 … Read More

The onion harvest was a good one at Yagma, and will be used to flavour the dishes served at the canteen. Every day, the school cooks process the vegetables grown in the school garden to prepare the meals served to the children.

As soon as the purchase of the land by Farming Our Future was signed, young deaf and hard-of-hearing people began to lay fencing around the plots to secure the site. This will also allow the animals to arrive quickly, as … Read More

During their visit to the vegetable garden, the children from the Bercy nursery school split into two groups. While one group looked after the garden, the other played board games created by the association around fruit and vegetables.

Children from the Villiot crèche discover the insect hotel in the traversine garden. The activity leader explains the role of each compartment adapted to a particular type of insect.

This Friday, the children of the elementary school of Bercy planted strawberry plants on the vertical wall of the garden of the Traversine of Bercy. They particularly enjoyed this activity which signs the return of spring!

Sweet potatoes at the Garden of Skills, Malanti, Eswatini The sweet potato is very popular in Eswatini, and is also suitable for sloping ground as it produces abundant creeping foliage. After each harvest, the women take cuttings from the harvested … Read More

As part of the seed project involving Agrosemens, APAF and The Ivory Foundation, Thieleme, the technician in charge of greenhouses in the Mbour region, planted courgette seedlings in the Sandiare and Nobadane greenhouses. The varieties were selected to best suit … Read More

Every day, the children of the inclusive school of the Petits Princes in Rufisque, accompanied by their teachers and Joseph,  the person in charge of the garden, take part in the watering and maintenance of the planters.

During the training course organised by The Ivory Foundation and Agrosemens in Senegal, Louis Marie Broucqsault and Cyriaque Crosnier Mangeat presented BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) as a solution for treating the pests that attack Moringa. Louis Marie noted that Moringa leaves … Read More

Cyriaque Crosnier Mangeat, from Agrosemens, provides advice in Dawady, where The Ivory Foundation has been developing a large collective vegetable garden since 2018, bringing together 150 village women on 450 cultivated plots. Observation of a tomato plant affected by acariosis … Read More

Cyriaque Crosnier Mangeat advises Joseph Gomis on the Petit Princes garden in Rufisque, Senegal.Joseph has planted aubergines in this above-ground garden on the school roof. Cyriaque has detected the presence of acariosis in the aubergines.He advises misting the leaves from … Read More

A building of more than 100m2 comprising two six-place dormitories, two bathrooms, a lounge and a kitchen was built using breeze-block. Young deaf and hard-of-hearing people played an active part in getting the project off the ground.

 Every Wednesday and Friday morning, children from the Villiot collective crèche spend an hour in the Traversine-Villiot garden. The children come with some vegetable waste from the crèche kitchen and put it in our compost, along with dead leaves collected … Read More

Louis-Marie Broucqsault, production manager at Agrosemens, is providing advice in Rufisque on the Handiscole garden developed by Designing Hope. He is advising Joseph Gomis, the garden’s manager, on how to prevent pepper blight. Louis-Marie Broucqsault, production manager at Agrosemens, is … Read More

Cyriaque Crosnier Mangeat, manager of organic seed producer Agrosemens, advises on the Dawady seed project in Senegal. Harvesting methods: You need to select healthy fruit that has reached the ripening stage of the seed carrier (a stage further advanced than … Read More

During the seed training course organised by The Ivory Foundation and Agrosemence, the women from the Dawady vegetable garden were given advice on maintaining their collective garden: watering, hoeing the plots, treating diseases with natural treatments such as neem oil. … Read More

The Nobadane seed farm is one of three seed production sites operated by Apaf in collaboration with The Ivory Foundation and Agrosemence. It includes a greenhouse and outdoor section where onions are grown for seed production. The greenhouse has been … Read More

The women in charge of the Dawady garden prepared a traditional meal based on cracked rice using vegetables from the garden (bitter eggplant, carrots, peppers) during the training provided by The Ivory Foundation and Agrosemens.

Ndioum2 is one of three villages on the outskirts of the Bala medical center where a community market garden project has been implemented with support from The Ivory Foundation. The plot has been fenced off to prevent the intrusion of … Read More

Sentiou Maka is one of the community vegetable gardens set up on the outskirts of Bala. The solar pump has allowed good irrigation of the garden and within three months, it has been fully cultivated. Thanks to the expertise of … Read More

The Dawady garden, located next to the medical center, provides 150 women with three plots of land each, with access to water. 25% of the surface is reserved to produce vegetables for the pregnant women looked after at the health … Read More

A training session has been organized by The Ivory Foundation and Agrosemens to train the women of Dawady in the use of organic fertilizers and seed production. Natural ingredients such as Neem oil and Neem cake (organic residue after pressing … Read More

Since its creation two years ago, the garden in Bala has developed well, thanks to the work of Abdurahman. The plot produces both vegetables for consumption and seed production.  It combines fruit trees such as papaya with fertilizer trees that … Read More

The women of the village of Sentiou Maka have harvested bissap leaves from their communal vegetable garden, which they will be cooking to accompany the semolina. This traditional plant is used both as a drink, by decocting the flowers, and … Read More

As part of the seed project involving Agrosemens, APAF and The Ivory Foundation, a new greenhouse has been set up at Sandiara to complete the production system, giving priority to one variety per species at each site, in order to limit … Read More

To guarantee the tightness of the greenhouse and thus the varietal purity of the seeds produced in Bala, we have installed an airlock lined with an “insectproof” textile to avoid cross-pollination. A project supported by Agrosemens and The Ivory Foundation.

The Ivory Foundation, in partnership with the French seed company Agrosemensand APAF Senegal to encourage the production of reproducible organic seeds adapted to both climatic conditions and the local market, while developing, with the expertise of Agrosemens, accessible tutorials adapted to … Read More

In order to create the Levi’s Nek farm, Farming our future had to acquire several plots of land of different sizes to create a total area of 3 hectares. One plot is dedicated to market gardening and will also be … Read More

A new gardener has just joined the team at the Half Way House in Roosboom, which is run by Designing Hope. Together with the two women who manage the centre, they are preparing new growing beds for the plants prepared … Read More

The agroforestry garden provides daily vegetables used for the preparation of meals in the canteen of the Yagma school. Peppers, onions, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage are cooked in a sauce to accompany starchy foods or mashed beans. A project supported since … Read More

The children of the Centre Paris Anim’ (CLAJE) elementary school of Bercy realized their self-portrait in the style of Arcimboldo. After colouring fruits and vegetables, the children cut and glued them to form their own face.

Designing Hope and the kindergarten of Bercy received  from the City hall of Paris 2 vermicomposters with the compost worms. We installed a worm bin with the children of the Bercy primary schools and another worm bin with the children … Read More

The children of the nursery school of Bercy and the crèche of Villiot met in the garden of Traversine-Villiot. They composted their vegetable waste (mainly peelings) and visited the garden together. Then, in the kiosk around the clover tables, the … Read More

Today, we asked the children of the Bercy primary schools to draw the vegetable garden of their dreams!  They were able to organise their imaginary garden as they wished, by placing fruits, vegetables, animals, insects, compost, ponds…While waiting for spring..

Every Wednesday and Friday morning, the children of the Villiot collective crèche spend an hour in the Traversine-Villiot garden. The children come with some vegetable waste from the nursery kitchen and put it in our compost. Even though the plants … Read More

With the children of the center Paris Anim’ (CLAJE), we collected the topinamburs (or Jerusalem artichokes) of the garden of Traversine-Villiot. They were each able to leave with a bag of several topinamburs that they had collected themselves. We prepared … Read More

Every day, the women in charge of the vegetable garden harvest fresh vegetables in order to make balanced meals for the women in training at the Garden of Skills. Designing Hope takes advantage of these training moments to promote balanced … Read More

To mark the end of autumn and to brighten up the garden, the children of the elementary schools of Bercy helped the team of Dessine l’Espoir to collect the leaves of the garden of Traversine-Bercy in Paris.  They put them … Read More

The children welcomed by the Centre Paris Anim’ (CLAJE) decorated pine cones for the end-of-the-year celebrations. They glued pompoms and stars on them, wrapped the pine cones with thread on which they threaded beads and painted the ends of the … Read More

The children of the elementary school of Bercy made a card to wish a good Christmas to their close relations. They wrote on it, drew with felt pens, cut out and glued paper and stickers. Above all, after tracing their … Read More

The children of the nursery school of Bercy in Paris were able to discover the various insects in the garden through colouring boards realised by the association.  The children coloured in bees, ladybirds, butterflies, ants, earwigs, woodlice and grasshoppers: all … Read More

The Yagma agroforestry garden, on the outskirts of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, is in full production of various vegetables!The presence of the borehole installed with the support of The Ivory Foundation during the setting up of the vegetable garden allows … Read More

In the agroforestry garden of the Yagma school, located on the outskirts of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, the students are involved in the daily maintenance of the vegetable garden.  This garden, set up on a real wasteland with the support … Read More

Strawberries do well in Eswatini! The women in charge of the Malanti “Garden of Skills” have reserved a special place for them: a circular mandala. This year, the plants have produced their first crop of fruit, as well as numerous … Read More

The children of the elementary school of Bercy in Paris were able to discover the various insects in the garden through colouring boards realised by the association.  The insects were classified according to their role in a garden, namely pollinators, … Read More

The Bala seed farm has been set up within the Kaicedrat health centre with the support of The Ivory Foundation. It includes a 200m2 greenhouse ideal for guaranteeing the varietal purity of the species. Around the greenhouse, plots have been laid … Read More

With the children welcomed by the Centre Paris Anim’ (CLAJE), the team of Dessine l’Espoir finalised the installation of the insect hotel in the garden of Traversine-Villiot.  We installed pieces of broken bricks for the staphylinid, pine cones for the … Read More

The sweet potato is very popular in Eswatini, and is also suitable for sloping ground as it produces abundant creeping foliage. After each harvest, the women take cuttings from the harvested sweet potato stalks and transplant them to new beds. 

The cultivation beds in the Malanti garden follow the principles of permaculture.  The women combine different species on the same bed that are mutually beneficial and grow compatibly in the same space. On this particular bed, the women have planted … Read More

Peppers are particularly popular in Eswatini in the local cuisine.  The harvested fruits are small but very flavourful, and will enhance the meal served daily at the Garden of Knowledge. 

In the vegetable garden of the Garden of Skills, nothing is lost!  When the women thin the carrots to encourage their growth, the young shoots are collected and cooked for the daily meal offered to the women in training.  The … Read More

Designing Hope has recruited a full-time cook for the Garden of Skills. To accompany rice or traditional semolina (pap), Spe cooks a daily sauce using seasonal vegetables from the garden. 

The greenhouse at Malanti is used both for seedling production and for starting crops in a protected area.  The greenhouse limits the impact of the sun and limits evaporation. The women in charge of the vegetable garden wear their work … Read More

In the greenhouse of Malanti, women have prepared tomato plants which they are now about to plant on prepared beds. 

In Malanti, a chicken coop has been set up in two adjoining pens.  The principle is to rotate the cultivation and housing of the animals in these two pens. The manure from the chickens enriches the soil for future crops.