Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AcaciasForAll/
Thanks to her father’s support, #AshokaFellow Sarah Toumi started helping other children in Tunisia when she was 11; years later Sarah fights desertification planting trees in rural communities across Tunisia.
http://www.portail-humanitaire.org/directory/listing/dream-in-tunisia
DREAM in Tunisia
Bir Salah 3033 El Hencha Sfax · Tunisie (Sfax Ouest / Sfax)
Who are we
DREAM in Tunisia is an association led by young people from rural areas of Tunisia. It aims to support sustainable projects for the empowerment of Tunisian villages, through environmental, social and economic programs. Dream in Tunisia has been working mainly in the village of Bir Salah since 2012, because of its roots which are those of the Association Cultural and Technical League of Bir Salah; born in 2006, became Association AjmiToumi Dream in Tunisia in 2012, then Dream in Tunisia 2015.
The association was founded in 2012 by Sarah Toumi (Profile LinkedIn ), social entrepreneur, founder of DREAM in France, incubator of social and environmental student projects based at Paris Sorbonne University. This is the continuation of the work started with his father within the association Ligue Culturelle et Technique de Bir Salah, and the Association Coopération Prévention Eau pour Tous. Born in France in Paris, Sarah discovered Tunisia at the age of 9: it was the beginning of a love story for her father’s country, and of a fight for the development of her grandparents’ village, Bir Salah, and rural areas of Tunisia and North Africa.
The association is supported by the King Baudouin Foundation, the Orange Foundation, Ashoka – the international network of social entrepreneurs, Echoing Green, the Mont-Blanc Meetings – International Forum of Social and Solidarity Economy Leaders … The programs are divided between:
Environment & Economy:
Acacias for all; social enterprise which trains farmers, then plants with them trees adapted to the arid context, and organizes the marketing of their product according to the principle of fair trade through the creation of value chains.
Tunisie Climat; Think Tank which identifies, lists and analyzes the solutions that exist within local and community initiatives facing the climate challenge in Tunisia.
Social & Economy:
The Stronghold of Knowledge of Bir Salah; a space offering social-cultural, educational and economic services, participating in the emancipation of users.
Les artisanes solidaires; a network that brings together groups of craftswomen from several towns in Tunisia to pool resources (designers, quality, trainers, marketing, sales) and create a unique catalogue bringing together household art and clothing, strengthening the skills, leadership and financial autonomy of these women.
Dream Mobile Incubator; a programme aimed at young unemployed graduates from regions wishing to create their (social) business and benefit from support from experts and mentors who will open up their network and opportunities.
En français
Qui sommes-nous
DREAM in Tunisia est une association dirigée par des jeunes des zones rurales de Tunisie. Elle a vocation à supporter des projets durables d’autonomisation des villages tunisiens, à travers des programmes environnementaux, sociaux et économiques. Dream in Tunisia travaille principalement dans le village de Bir Salah depuis 2012, du fait de ses racines qui sont celles de l’Association Ligue Culturelle et Technique de Bir Salah née en 2006, devenue Association AjmiToumi Dream in Tunisie en 2012, puis Dream in Tunisia en 2015.
L’association a été fondée en 2012 par Sarah Toumi (Profil LinkedIn), entrepreneur sociale, fondatrice de DREAM en France, incubateur de projets étudiants sociaux et environnementaux basé à l’Université Paris Sorbonne. C’est la continuité du travail commencé avec son père au sein de l’association Ligue Culturelle et Technique de Bir Salah, et Association Coopération Prévention Eau pour Tous. Née en France à Paris, Sarah découvre la Tunisie à 9 ans : c’est le début d’une histoire d’amour pour le pays de son père, et d’un combat pour le développement du village de ses grands-parents, Bir Salah, et des zones rurales de Tunisie et de l’Afrique du Nord.
L’association est soutenue par la Fondation du Roi Baudouin, la Fondation Orange, Ashoka – le réseau international des entrepreneurs sociaux, Echoing Green, les Rencontres du Mont-Blanc — Forum International des Dirigeants de l’Economie Sociale et Solidaire… Les programmes se divisent entre :
Environnement & Economie :
Acacias for all, entreprise sociale qui forme les agriculteurs, puis plante avec eux des arbres adaptés au contexte aride, et organise la commercialisation de leur produit selon le principe de commerce équitable à travers la création de chaines de valeurs.
Tunisie Climat, Think Tank qui identifie, répertorie et analyse les solutions qui existent au sein d’initiatives locales et communautaires face au défi climatique en Tunisie.
Social & Economie :
Le Fortin de la Connaissance de Bir Salah, un espace offrant des services sociaux-culturels, éducatifs et économiques, participant à l’émancipation des usagers.
Les artisanes solidaires, un réseau qui réunit des groupes d’artisanes de plusieurs villes de Tunisie pour mutualiser les ressources (designers, qualité, formateurs, marketing, commercialisation) et créer un catalogue unique réunissant art de la maison et habillement, renforçant les compétences, le leadership et l’autonomie financière de ces femmes.
Dream Incubateur mobile, un programme qui vise les jeunes diplômés chômeurs des régions souhaitant créer leur entreprise (sociale) et bénéficier d’un accompagnement par des experts et des mentors qui ouvriront leur réseau et opportunités.
Other
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Articles
‘If the land isn’t worked, it decays’: Tunisia’s battle to keep the desert at bay
With social tensions high and unemployment rife, agriculture offers Tunisians a vital lifeline. But as vast swaths of countryside turn to desert, the race is on to ensure there is land left to cultivate
Global development is supported by
Fri 13 Oct 2017
The dusty Peugeot rumbles along the road, parallel to the ancient aqueduct that once delivered water from the springs of Zaghouan in Tunisia’s Dorsal mountains to ancient Carthage, about 57km north. However, the waters around Zaghouan have long run dry and, if action is not taken soon, so might much of the land around it.
It is not just Zaghouan. “Ninety-five per cent of the [arable] land is in the process of desertification,” explains Sarah Toumi, president and founder of Acacias for All, a social enterprise aimed at checking the descent of Tunisia’s countryside into arid desert. “There is less than 1% of fertile organic material left in the soil, meaning it’s really poor and can easily become desert. By 2030, it will all become a desert if we do nothing.”
Desertification is not exclusive to Tunisia. According to the International Fund for Agriculture Development, no continent, excluding Antarctica, is immune from the combined effects of intensive modern farming, dwindling fresh water supplies and rising temperatures, all of which can reduce fertile soil to desert. However, Africa, containing 37% of the world’s arid zones, and Asia, with 33%, are at acute risk.
For post-revolutionary Tunisia, racked by social tension, high unemployment and an underperforming economy, the agricultural sector is vital, accounting for 14% of the country’s GDP and employing 20% of its workforce.
Within Tunisia, desertification assumes different forms, ranging from the gradual encroachment of the Sahara from the country’s south, to the depletion of the land’s natural resources through over-farming in its north. On each front, Acacias for All is part of the pushback, helping local women form agricultural collectives that will allow them to plant new crops, such as the pea-like acacias that give the social enterprise its name.
For Toumi, who shares French and Tunisian nationality, the personal preceded the national. Six years ago, when she saw her grandparents’ date farm near the coastal city of Sfax succumbing to the effects of desertification, she fell back on the experience gained from her networking with environmental students in Paris. “In the beginning no one believed in me, except a few of the women. So, I started a crowdfunding campaign that raised €3,000 (£2,670). I used this to create a nursery to grow the acacia trees, which the women then agreed to plant.”
Read more
Regional Initiative for Dryland Management in Tunisia
Sowing seeds in Tunisian sands
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Moringa
Moringa oleifera is a plant that is often called the drumstick tree, the miracle tree, the ben oil tree, or the horseradish tree.
Moringa has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. It also has antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Fast facts on moringa:
- The tree is native to India but also grows in Asia, Africa, and South America.
- Moringa contains a variety of proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
- Moringa oleifera has few known side effects.
- People taking medication should consult a doctor before taking moringa extract.
What is in moringa?
Moringa contains many healthful compounds such as:
- vitamin A
- vitamin B1 (thiamine)
- B2 (riboflavin)
- B3 (niacin), B-6
- folate and ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
- calcium
- potassium
- iron
- magnesium
- phosphorus
- zinc
It is also extremely low in fats and contains no harmful cholesterol.
What are the benefits?
Moringa is believed to have many benefits and its uses range from health and beauty to helping prevent and cure diseases. The benefits of moringa include:
1. Protecting and nourishing skin and hair
Moringa seed oil is beneficial for protecting hair against free radicals and keeps it clean and healthy. Moringa also contains protein, which means it is helpful in protecting skin cells from damage. It also contains hydrating and detoxifying elements, which also boost the skin and hair.
It can be successful in curing skin infections and sores.
2. Treating edema
Edema is a painful condition where fluid builds up in specific tissues in the body. The anti-inflammatory properties of moringa may be effective in preventing edema from developing.
3. Protecting the liver
Moringa appears to protect the liver against damage caused by anti-tubercular drugs and can quicken its repair process.
4. Preventing and treating cancer
Moringa extracts contain properties that might help prevent cancer developing. It also contains niazimicin, which is a compound that suppresses the development of cancer cells.
5. Treating stomach complaints
Moringa extracts might help treat some stomach disorders, such as constipation, gastritis, and ulcerative colitis. The antibiotic and antibacterial properties of moringa may help inhibit the growth of various pathogens, and its high vitamin B content helps with digestion.
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