SENEGAL-HABITAT-FORMATION / Climate-friendly housing project launched in Podor

A project to promote habitats adapted to the climatic conditions of northern Senegal was launched on Saturday in Podor, with a view to improving environmental management.

Called "Maadi bakkeere Fuuta" (building with Fouta banco), the project aims to "adapt housing to the area's climatic conditions".

It was officially launched at a ceremony presided over by Abdoul Aziz Ndiath, Secretary General of the Podor departmental council.

The project, considered innovative and forward-looking, is supported by the Podor departmental council, accompanied by the NGO Le Partenariat and Luxembourg cooperation.

"It is part of the overall framework for environmental management. Maadi bakkeere Fuuta' uses clay to make compressed bricks to adapt our habitat to the area's climatic conditions," explained Abdoul Aziz Ndiath.

Hard buildings contribute up to 40% of greenhouse gas emissions," he argues, adding that "in this Sahelian zonelian area [of Senegal], we need to promote environmentally-friendly housing that is comfortable and helps to improve people's health".

The one-year project will also encourage local companies to collaborate with vocational training centers in the Podor department, in order to "develop the eco-construction offer".offer in eco-construction and, in particular, in compressed earth brick construction techniques", explained Nicolas Dupuy, Technical Director of the NGO Le Partenariat.

The implementation of this project will enable young people to be trained in various building trades, with a view to making them more self-sufficient so that they can remain in their terroir, welcomed the entrepreneurs' spokesman, Mamadou Malick Sy.

Maadi bakkeere Fuuta' is an opportunity for training centers to develop "the practical side" of the program, which should help to "lend credibility" to vocational technical schools, he added. Moussa Dione, head of Podor's "Galaye Ndiaye" departmental vocational training center.

Source: aps.sn/