Justdiggit

The effect of #regreening over six years – from dry, dusty desert to green, expanding savannah. Imagine the impact these #EarthSmiles can have in the years to come! 🌱🌱🌱 In sub-Saharan Africa, 60% of land is degrading (see above, June 2018), with fertile land shrinking year by year. To reverse this, we joined forces with LEAD Foundation Tanzania and local communities in Pembamoto, Tanzania 🇹🇿, to restore the land by digging Earth Smiles, and the results have blown us away. By working with nature instead of against her, we have the chance to secure food and water stability for millions, restore ecosystems, and combat global warming. We've seen incredible transformations that give us hope for a greener, cooler future. But we can't do it alone! Are you ready to be part of the solution? Join us: https://lnkd.in/eiSzPeTR 🤝 #ClimateAction #NatureBasedSolutions #GenerationRestoration

Thrilled to be sharing an update with you on my journey with Justdiggit🌍🌱 Seeing the ever-growing impact of the global climate crisis and my passion for nature, I wanted to work for an organisation making a difference against the devastating effects we are all starting to see. I spent years in the health sector, and health will always be a passion, but you can't have good health without a healthy environment. Joining Justdiggit, I am bringing my fundraising experience to secure long-term support for their crucial work. My recent trip to Kenya and Tanzania was truly eye-opening. Seeing vast stretches of land turning greener and thriving due to Justdiggits' efforts was incredibly inspiring. The scale and impact of their projects were even more evident in person. One of the most impactful moments was meeting the Maasai community and learning about their vital role in these initiatives. The women-led grass seed banks are empowering the community and fostering sustainability in a truly remarkable way. Witnessing their dedication and seeing the positive ripple effects throughout the community was truly humbling. Justdiggits' approach to restoring ecosystems is not only effective but also deeply respectful of local communities and traditions. Their bunds, now teeming with healthy grasses, stand as a testament to the power of nature-based solutions and community-driven action. I'm incredibly fortunate to be working alongside such an inspiring and passionate team at Justdiggit. Their dedication to creating a greener, more sustainable future is infectious. I'm excited to be part of this incredible organisation and to contribute my skills to help secure the resources needed to scale their impact even further. The fight against climate change is daunting, but seeing Justdiggits' success in action gives me immense hope for the future.! #Justdiggit #ClimateAction #regreening

🌾 Transforming landscapes and lives! The #GrassSeedBank project in Mungere is a shining example of community-driven environmental restoration. Managed by the local community, these green oases breathe life into barren lands. The grass seed banks support local vegetation and provide sustainable income. Additionally, the harvested seeds boost other #regreening projects. It's a win-win for both the ecosystem and the community! 👩🏿🌾✨ 📍 Location: Mungure, Arusha region, #Tanzania 🇹🇿  🤝 In partnership with LEAD Foundation Tanzania #climateaction #climatechange #generationrestoration

MY HAPPY PLACE: People accept jobs for a variety of reasons, such as location, hours, or salary. Whether your job brings you joy and fulfillment or you see it more as a stepping stone to your dream career, finding happiness in your day-to-day responsibilities can go a long way toward improving both your satisfaction and your performance in your role. I first learned about Justdiggit (JD) through the company I was, and still am, working for under the Bolloré group of companies. I was told it’s an “environmental NGO” that Bolloré has chosen to partner with, and thus began my journey. It was like taking up a ‘new job’ for an organisation I had never heard of (nor applied to, in this case). ‘What a strange name,’ I thought to myself. But faster than I could ponder this, I was connected to a very inspiring and pleasant Dutch gentleman who truly believed in what Justdiggit was and could do for this planet. He and JD were a whole new experience for me. I had not met such an inspired person with the ability to light up a room before in the corporate space. At this point, there was no looking back for me. He sold me the ‘JD gospel’, and I was a convert. The days turned into months, and the months turned into years of having the opportunity to do something greater than myself by working with the organization. It was, and still is, so fulfilling! It's been 5 years now of managing communications for JD in Tanzania– while “finding my happy place” at the same time. This organization is now on the brink of starting a truly remarkable chapter. JD is launching a ‘Regreening App’. Instead of JD digging bunds or performing FMNR in the field, they’re training people to do it on their own through very practical and thorough courses in the palm of their hands (on phones). WHY? Because change is happening at a faster pace than a few NGOs can combat, and the key is to get everyone involved now. The ‘Kijani’ App (Kijani = Green in Swahili) launches on Farmers' Day (8th August), which happens to be my birthday. As the head of the digital app department, Carl Lens loves to say to me when things are working out, ‘It’s the universe, Fey, it’s giving us a sign.’ I'm thrilled to be part of this historic venture that is set to revolutionize re-greening and, ultimately, the fight against climate change. The fulfillment I have gained from working for this cause over the years has led me to realize that almost by chance, I ended up ‘finding my happy place’. Steve Jobs once said, "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." So take a minute today and reflect on what you do. Do you love it? Is it your happy place? I hope it is. And if it’s not, may you find your ‘happy place’ too, as I have. Photos: Mary Sengelela, Sander de Haas, Angelina Tarimo, Francis Mkilema, Stuart Taylor, Godlove Kihupi & Wessel van Eeden Tina :)

Did you know that Justdiggit contributes significantly to achieving 8 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (#SDGs) established by the United Nations? 🌍 This is the #DecadeOfDoing, underscoring the critical importance of collaboration in our pursuit of a sustainable future. By partnering with us, you can actively contribute to these essential SDGs and become an integral part of this transformative change. 💰 SDG 1 - No Poverty 🍽️ SDG 2 - Zero Hunger 👩🌾 SDG 5 - Gender Equality 💧 SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation 💼 SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth 🌍 SDG 13 - Climate Action 🌱 SDG 15 - Life on Land 🤝 SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals What are you waiting for? Join us in our #regreening mission to create a greener, cooler, and more sustainable planet for all! Learn how you can make a significant impact: https://lnkd.in/eiSzPeTR

A Green Oasis of Hope for the Maasai Women: I like to call the grass seeds ‘green gold’ due to the value they have for the livelihoods of women and, on a larger scale, their contribution to #regreening through the reseeding of #EarthSmiles in the rangelands as part of our @Justdiggit land restoration work. 🌾 The women-led land restoration enterprises have not only ensured the involvement of women but have also been a source of income through the sale of grass seeds and hay. These women, who are the most affected by the severe droughts that frequently occur, leading to livestock deaths and thus affecting their primary means of livelihood, have benefited significantly. Pauline, a member of the Moilo Grass Seed Bank (GSB), reflects, “When we harvested and sold our first good crop and earned 1 million Ksh, I paid school fees for my four children from my share. I was also able to improve my house, and I now have both a traditional and a modern iron sheet house where my children can study at night in a much better environment.” The replication of Grass Seed Banks (GSBs) on individual farms, along with the knowledge gained about the importance of proper rangeland management and community engagement, has led to greater support from men for these initiatives. This support has relieved the burden of men solely being the breadwinners, and it has earned respect for the women. Men are now confident that during the dry seasons, when they have to migrate long distances in search of water and pasture, the women are capable of taking care of themselves and the children. After the March-April 2024 rains, a bumper harvest is expected in the Chyulu Landscape GSBs, with over 3000 kg expected, translating to 3 million Ksh at an average price of 1000 Ksh per kg. Indeed, this precious green gold is transforming the lives and environment of the communities! Credits to the GCF TWENDE project (Towards Ending Drought Emergencies) and the partners Justdiggit, IUCN, CI, MWCT, BLF, NRT, and ADSE.

A few years ago, people used to give directions to Pembamoto village, Tanzania 🇹🇿, by referring to a red hill. Thanks to the #regreening efforts, the area is now known as "that place next to the green hill"! So how did we do it? Simple. We teamed up with LEAD Foundation Tanzania and local communities to dig over 5,000 #EarthSmiles in 2018. These structures helped restore the natural water cycle by capturing rainwater and bringing back the lost greenery. 🌧️➡️🌱🌱🌱 We've seen incredible transformations that give us hope for a greener, cooler future. But we can't do it alone! Are you ready to be part of the solution? Join us: https://lnkd.in/eiSzPeTR

More than 1.5 years ago, I joined Justdiggit on its mission to cool down the planet. Time for a reflection 💭   Who isn’t amazed when seeing the iconic ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos for the first time? I certainly was! This dose of climate change optimism was exactly what I was looking for in my life. Since then, I learned a lot about the process these pictures demonstrate:   🌧 Rainwater harvesting techniques: Justdiggit is doing far more than “just digging” water bunds (also known as #EarthSmiles). Did you know there is a maximum number of bunds a farmer can dig per day because it is so tough to crack through the hard top layer?   🤝 #Regreening is done together! Community engagement, grazing management committees, and capacity building are vital for success, raising the necessary awareness to inspire people.   🌱 Communities in Kenya are very happy to be part of digging Earth Smiles, as it provides income (especially needed during droughts), creates a sense of community, and restores dry soil into lush fields where eventually the cattle graze again.   I experienced a success story firsthand when I spoke to a Tanzanian farmer last year. He learned various rainwater harvesting techniques through champion farmers trained by Justdiggit and Trias, and applied these to his fields, preventing his crops from being washed away. In this way, he created much more climate-resilient and profitable farmland. Unfortunately, the crops from his neighbour’s farm were completely washed away.   In addition to all the amazing work Justdiggit is doing with its partners, my days are busy with various tasks. These include further professionalising the organisation by obtaining the CBF certification, supporting donor-funded project audits, and setting up and improving finance processes. This is not done alone; shout out to this great finance team Ruth Wamugi, Lilian Kiruri, @Felix Oriwa, Rose Belinda, CPA, Daniela Rojas Morales, and Cindy van der Top!   Message me if you are interested in Justdiggit, or if you need convincing that working for an NGO is much more fun than working for corporate organisations 😊.

We did it! 😱 With 24 The Planet, we walked for 24 hours non-stop in Vondelpark (Amsterdam) and raised over €64.000 for Justdiggit. 💚 This incredible donation will help making dry, degraded land green again, by digging around 8.000 bunds in North Kenya. 🙂 #earthsmiles I'm so proud of all amazing walkers that participated, thanks for the conversations, laughs and dance moves! In particular my walking buddies Ronald van der Bij Jan Pompe and Antoine Carlier for your spirit 24 hours. Thanks team 24 The Planet, your energy and drive are the best Adriaan Kolff Olivier Ponsioen Alain Heunen Alexander Chatzakis Akke Pennin, as well Guido Heunen for the breathwork and energy up session after 15 hours of walking! With +90 kilometres on my watch, I finished yesterday with a big smile on my face and want to thank everyone for the support, messages and donations. 🥰 Let's continue the regreening movement and walk the talk! 🌱 #24theplanet #justdiggit 📷 Marije Kuiper

#Regreening transformation. 🌱✨ These #EarthSmiles were dug in December 2021. After each rainy season, this plot gets greener and greener. Now, the vegetation started spreading in the surrounding area, making it greener and more fertile 🌧️➡️🌱🌱🌱 Location: Esilalei, Arusha, Tanzania 🇹🇿 In collaboration with LEAD Foundation Tanzania 🤝 We've seen incredible transformations that give us hope for a greener, cooler future. But we can't do it alone! Are you ready to be part of the solution? Join us: https://lnkd.in/eiSzPeTR