In the Pulaar language
“Lekki” means tree.
“Lekki” also means medicine.
LekkiLekki brings more trees
to more people
in one of the hottest climates
on earth.
LekkiLekki
Cities in Senegal are booming. This economic vitality offers opportunities to urban dwellers. To make way for the new roads and buildings, trees and other vegetation need to be cleared, sacrificing critical local sources of shade, moisture, land retention, nutrition and CO2 absorption. Without trees, buildings run hotter, the air is drier, the soil erodes faster, stormwater becomes more difficult to manage, so floods are more of a threat, and finally, less CO2 gets replaced with oxygen.
These downsides to such rapid development are avoidable. When city dwellers sign on to plant and steward trees in their own urban compounds with LekkiLekki, they can supplement their income while improving their surroundings and combating climate change.
Moussa Molo, Kolda’s most famous tree
The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is today.
How LekkiLekki Works
When a LekkiLekki project is activated in a city, a local soccer club enlists neighborhood families to plant a free fruit or shade tree tree in their compound, where it it easy to water. Stewards are provided protective screens to shield their new tree from hungry predators (usually goats). After three months, and every three months thereafter for the next two years, the steward takes a digital photo of their growing tree and sends the photo to LekkiLekki. Upon receipt and verification of the photo, the steward’s payment of 5,000 CFA (~$10 USD, or ~$13 CAD) is delivered.