The Bignona department in southern Senegal has received a total of 550 tables and benches for several local schools. These were made from the wood of nearly 40 trees that were cut down and pruned due to the risk of falling. The project was carried out in collaboration with the Association of Bignona Carpenters and the Association of Forest Operators in the department.
According to Mamadou Khouma, the prefect of the Bignona department, the initiative began with a concern expressed by Bakary Diatta, the mayor of the Bignona commune. The mayor had informed him that some trees posed a risk of falling. This led to a joint effort involving the departmental inspection of water and forests, the municipality, and the commission for safety and civil protection.
The commission, comprising various technical services including firefighters, urban planning, water and forests, and the gendarmerie, conducted a field assessment to verify the situation. Following this, instructions were given to the commission to proceed with the project. Concertations took place, resulting in the decision to allocate the wood from the cut-down trees to the community, with priority given to education.
The forest operators involved in the project agreed to carry out the cutting, pruning, and pay the forest tax voluntarily and free of charge, according to the new regulations. In total, they spent nearly 10 million francs on the operation. The technical supervision was provided by SENELEC, Sonatel, the Gendarmerie, the Bignona Forest Service, and the Police.
The project resulted in the production of 550 tables and benches, five doors, and 19 windows for the school establishments in the commune. Some of the schools that received the furniture include the Arfang Bessire Sonko and Aoune Sané middle schools, which each received 100 tables and benches. Other schools, such as Etoba Bernard Diatta, Amadou Daniel Coly, and Mangoulène, received 20 tables and benches each.
The distribution also extended to other schools in the department, including Kadiamor, which received 10 tables and benches, and the elementary schools of Bignona Passène, which received 60, Mankadiang, which received 10, and Sorbonne, which received 30. Additionally, the communes of Djidione and Oulampane each received 20 tables and benches.
The successful completion of the project demonstrates the collaborative efforts of local authorities, community associations, and technical services in addressing safety concerns and improving educational infrastructure in the Bignona department.
Key points
- A total of 550 school tables and benches were made from the wood of nearly 40 trees cut down in Bignona department.
- The project was carried out in collaboration with local associations and technical services.
- The distribution of the school furniture aims to improve educational infrastructure in the Bignona department.
