Copyright Eden Foundation

As we approach the end of hot season, trucks can be seen throughout the country bringing men come back from their yearly exodus. Twenty years ago, this was also the situation for the farmers of Tanout. Once the millet was harvested, the men would leave their families for a period of nine months and look for work in other countries. Whether they brought anything back or not, their absence would allow the insufficient millet harvest to last a little while longer.

Eden fathers: staying with their families - Copyright Eden Foundation

Today, in Edenland, the men now have a choice. Thanks to their Eden Gardens, the families no longer rely solely on the millet, but have numerous harvests throughout the year. The men harvest Eden grass and Eden branches, and the women harvest Eden fruit. There is activity all year round, and no one has to leave.

Copyright Eden Foundation

It takes time to establish an Eden Garden from scratch, but anyone can do it as it requires neither irrigation nor fertilizers to grow. All it needs as an initial investment is hard work and dedication, which the Eden farmers have.

Copyright Eden Foundation

Twenty years ago, the children of Tanout were growing up in a sea of sand, surrounded by adults who had given up hope for a better future. Today, we meet children and teenagers who are full of hope and aspiration and who are inspiring the older generation. Their family’s Eden Garden provides them with a constant purchase power that enables them to take care of themselves and their families without having to ask anyone for a handout. Twenty years from now, who will have thought that this very population was once the poorest of the poor?