The woman in the video is an example of the importance of the forest to the local population, and of the relationship between the people of Wassadou and nature. Here, she is sorting palm leaves, which she will then use to make brooms. She makes them to sell and earn extra income.
However, this activity is becoming increasingly difficult, due to the disappearance of a large number of palm trees near Wassadou, whose stems and leaves are needed to make the brooms. They are disappearing because of the lack of rain and the cutting of wood without reforestation. Now she has to pay people to obtain the raw material to make the brooms. The lack of palm trees means a reduction in her business and her income. If this activity disappears, she will have to turn to collecting firewood and making charcoal, but these activities are also affected by deforestation.
Woodcutters primarily cut dead wood, with the permission of forestry officials. This wood is also used to make furniture (beds, wardrobes).
At the moment, the village is facing more and more problems linked to climate change. So we called on the youth association to find solutions. Thanks to the youth association and mutual aid, we are buying plants and young trees to replant (mainly acacias), with the aim of rebuilding the forest. In particular, the infusion of the second bark of the Gueno tree, which belongs to the acacia family, is used to treat anaemia and other illnesses. Fruit trees have also been replanted (orange, mandarin, lemon and jujube). Woodcutters have also been banned from cutting down certain trees or parts of trees, on pain of punishment by the village chief.
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