Eqwal Foundation x GRET: Support for the protection of Senegal's coastline

GRET

Founded in 1976, GRET is an international organisation working in some thirty countries to improve the living conditions of the world's most vulnerable populations. Its approach combines sustainable development actions and programmes to combat poverty, while making a point of preserving natural resources and protecting our planet.

Since its creation, GRET has carried out 290 operations around the world, supporting more than 3 million people in need. Through initiatives in areas as diverse as agriculture, water, sanitation and the environment, GRET is committed to building a more equitable future that respects the global ecosystem.

A major environmental and health issue

Senegal's coastline, once rich in biodiversity, has been profoundly transformed by plastic pollution, particularly microplastics. These microparticles contaminate marine ecosystems and directly threaten the health of local populations.

Eqwal Foundation's mission with GRET

Hann Bay in Senegal, once known as an unspoilt beach paradise, is now seriously affected by plastic waste. The DISSO-CI-BAIE BI project, led by GRET with the support of the Eqwal Foundation and Syctom in Senegal, aims to combat plastic pollution in the bay.

Over a two-year period, the project will mobilise around 500,000 local residents to reduce the use of plastic and protect marine ecosystems. It will be carried out in three stages: a diagnosis to gain a better understanding of the pollution, the strengthening of local associations, and concrete actions to recycle and raise awareness in coastal neighbourhoods.

The Eqwal Foundation has decided to support this project because it is not simply a matter of cleaning up Hann Bay. As well as cleaning up the environment, this initiative aims to raise awareness among local players, particularly associations, of the real dangers posed by plastic pollution. Microplastics and other waste not only affect the environment, but also pose significant risks to human health. By informing and training these players, the aim is to strengthen their ability to fight for a clean coastline in the long term, while encouraging the adoption of responsible practices to protect the coastline in the long term.