Podcast #54 · Ndéye Marie Aïda Ndiéguène · Leading With Solutions & Action In Sénégal
“It’s very important to show young girls in these communities that they can do it too…these actions are not only building a storage space in a community, it’s also changing some minds and impacting the future of young girls in communities, so it’s really important for me to show this example every day”
Ndéye Marie Aïda Ndiéguène
Ndéye Marie Aïda Ndiéguène is a Sénégalese author, social entrepreneur and climate activist. She has written two award winning books, founded a construction company called Eco Builders Made in Sénégal and has represented Sénégal at the UN Youth Climate Action Summit. She has also been named as an Ashoka Africa Youth Champion, a Youth Connekt Africa Awardee and a SUSI’s Fellow . Marie has also set up a Climate Summit for climate leaders in Sénégal.
Eco Builders Made in Sénégal uses recycled materials like tyres, bottles and plastic bags to build affordable food storage solutions for farmers in rural areas. This innovative engineering company not only massively extends the life of farmed food like onions and potatoes but also focuses on developing skills in rural communities through community engagement and training.
Talking points:
- Marie’s background growing up in Sénégal and attending university on exchange in the USA (~01:40)
- Marie’s two prize winning books (~04:10)
- How Marie came to start Ecobuilders Made in Sénégal (~07:00)
- Materials used for Eco Builders MS’s products (~10:00)
- The Eco Builders MS process engaging with the community and employing local builders (~11:15)
- Community reactions to the Eco Builders MS projects (~14:00)
- How do these solutions work to conserve agricultural products? (~15:20)
- The scale of (what would otherwise have been) waste repurposed as construction materials (~17:20)
- Some of the challenges Marie has faced in founding this company, including being a women working in a traditional industry within rural communities (~18:30)
- The importance of role modelling for young girls (~24:20)
- Attending the first UN Youth Climate Action Summit (~27:45)
- What do we need to do now locally and globally to take action on climate change? (~30:20)
- School strikes and local action in Sénégal (~33:40)
- Thoughts on the amazing nature in Sénégal (~34:40)
- The ocean is rising in Sénégal and further thoughts on climate change (~37:20)
- Climate Action innovations in Sénégal (~42:30)
- What’s next for Marie and Eco Builders MS? (~45:20)
- Sénégal’s opportunity to make products from nature including from the famous baobab tree and many others (~49:40)
- Marie’s advice for anyone wanting to make positive change (~51:10)
- How to find Marie and support her work – see links below! (~54:30)
“If you don’t understand the needs of others, you can’t provide a solution. It’s really important to be empathetic and to take the time to understand others…not to judge them”
Ndéye Marie Aïda Ndiéguène
Notable Links
Eco Builders Made In Sénégal
Ndéye Marie Aïda Ndiéguène’s award winning books
- Un lion en cage: Roman by Ndèye Marie Aida Ndiéguène (Amazon (affiliate link) | L’Harmattan)
- Gemini: Roman by Ndèye Marie Aida Ndiéguène (Amazon (affiliate link) | L’Harmattan)
The SN CLIMATE SUMMIT:
Get involved at Facebook or on Instagram
Ndéye Marie Aïda Ndiéguène
