After visiting Senegal in February of 2025 (as a member of the Harambee House delegation), I felt compelled to return and support the amazing and much-needed work being done there.
The Harambee House Citizens for Environmental Justice, headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, has been doing environmental work for over 30 years. Thanks to its founder and executive director, Dr. Mildred McClain, they have trained hundreds of people in hazardous waste management, job readiness, and capacity building in real-life arenas where Black and Brown communities are suffering from industrial toxicity in the ground and in the air. But it doesn’t stop here.
The Harambee House is partnering with Dr. Ousmane Aly Pame, founder of REDES (a French acronym which refers to a network of people dedicated to the Emergence and Development of Ecovillages across the Sahel), who is leading the way in the development of ecovillages from Senegal and Mauritania to Mali, Niger, Chad, and the Sudan. In addition to wells being installed, plant nurseries, which distribute thousands of trees, are also a significant part of this work. Small solar stations are popping up, biofuels are being explored, community centers built, and children are receiving educational materials. People are also making a living. Can you blame me for wanting to return?