Timbuktu sustainable development projects
At the present time Tuareg tribal lifestyle and culture are under severe threat. Poverty, climate change, geographic isolation pose serious challenges to their nomadic tribal way of life. In Jump4Timbuktu discussion with tribal leaders and the artisan associations we agreed a long term plans to meet these challenges starting with projects to improve their capacity to trade from their workshops in Timbuktu, and also projects to improve water and food security in the desert villages.
Jump4Timbuiktu, under its charity umbrella Tuareg Relief, has committed to fundraise for these development projects. Long term sustainability will be achieved through investment of the profits available from Jump4Timbuktu jewellery sales and through contributions from the Tuareg tribal artisans as their incomes improve. In this way the Tuareg communities will trade their way to a sustainable future.
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Water and food security for Tuareg communities
- In February 2009 we a met with the tribal leaders of the five Tuareg communities linked to the Silversmith Associations. These communities are based in the desert, within a 40 kilometre radius of Timbuktu. Tribal groups identified water and food security as the primary challenge to long term sustainability.
- In 2009, with a small grant from The Kitchen Table Charitable Trust together with sponsorship and donations, we organised pilot food security programmes in two desert communities. During our visit in February 2010 we agreed a long term plan with the leaders of the five Tuareg villages and the Mayor of Timbuktu.
- Since 2009 substantial progress has been made in all three communities where we have been supporting them to have access to a sustainable source of clean water for families, animals and the production of vegetables and fruit. Following this, each community has developed vegetable gardens, two of which have been highly productive. As a consequence of such progress there is now strong evidence to show that clean water and productive gardens are enabling these communities to improve their livelihoods and sustain their Tuareg culture.
Getting organised
We work with a local Coordination Group of artisan and tribal leaders to identify sustainable development projects and to source sustainable funding through improved trade. The group includes the Mayor of Timbuktu and the local NGO co-ordinator.
Fundraising towards projects is organised under the umbrella of our registered charity, Tuareg Relief. Click here for details. All Jump4Timbuktu profits, after trading costs, are transferred to Tuareg Relief for this purpose. Jump4Timbuktu is organised by unpaid directors and volunteers.
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