Who are we?

The association. Terr@dialoog proposes to assist developing countries and collaborate with them mainly by fertilizing the soil and carrying out plantations which directly or indirectly increase the economic independence of rural areas.
This also means providing total solutions (planting, water, energy, infrastructure ......), the creation of return and value-added economy. The attention will focus on the aspect sustainability, training and awareness of the local population.

Our core projects are:
- School gardens;
- Common vegetable gardens;
- Afforestation and reforestation,
especially in regions not easily cultivable.

With regard to these core projects, after carried out first the necessary analyses - including analyses of soil, the presence of water, sociological survey - we decide what techniques will be used and what objectives we want to achieve, as for instance:

• the improvement of soil and crops using:
  • compost,
  • manure,
  • soil conditioners,
  • equivalent and complementary systems.
• mitigation of land degradation;
• economically profitable crops;
• combining traditional methods with modern technologies;
• contribution to an increased capacity of the local population

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History

The association Terr@dialoog. has arisen out of TC-Dialogue, an association founded in 1995 by Professor Dr Willem Van Cotthem.

Professor Van Cotthem taught General Botany and Botanical Applied Sciences for over 25 years at the University of Ghent (Belgium). From his scientific knowledge and his generous spirit, he was committed to the fight against desertification
Professor Van Cotthem has developed a soil conditioner -TerraCottem. This conditioner is used in school gardens, community gardens and reforestation projects in arid and semi-arid areas. The result is a more efficient use of water and a significant increase in performance and growth.

Since 1988 a large number of humanitarian projects was carried out under the direction of Professor Van Cotthem.
Some examples:
Burkina-Fasso (1988): 'Bois de la Fraternisation', reforestation in Arbolle.
The Cape Verde Islands (1989): 'The Green Wave' reforestation and vegetable gardens.
Côte d'Ivoire (1993): reforestation and gardens for women Sokoro and Yarabele.

The number of supporters increased and in 1995 the association was founded officially as TC-Dialogue. The objectives remained the same: mitigate desertification by reforestation projects and gardens, and at the same time improving the fate of women and children in these arid regions.
Some examples of projects:
Lebanon (2001-2004): a nursery and distribution of saplings through schools and villages.
China (1995-1999): culture in vegetable greenhouses and reforestation among others in the province of Gansu and Inner Mongolia.
Niger (1997): reforestation, a centre for seeds and a school garden.
Senegal (2000-2004): a garden for women 'Keur Bou Natté' Toubacouta.
India (2001): gardens in the arid and mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh.

In July 2006 Professor Dr Willem Van Cotthem decides to withdraw from the non-profit association for personal reasons. The board of directors at that time wanted to complete the ongoing projects, but the vision and strategy have been expanded and adapted to new ideas on development aid. So we founded the new organization Terr@dialoog.
The completion of ongoing projects continue with the agreement of all partners. Depending on the financial standing, they can still be expanded and new projects can be launched.

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Vision / Mission

Improving the daily life conditions of local people in rural regions in the Third World by using fertilising techniques and plantings, to combat soil degradation and to introduce an ecological and economical growth.

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Strategy

• The request for a project / a solution is preferably introduced by the local population from the host country
• There is a search for one or several partner groups in the respective host country
• There may be also a collaboration with an NGO that is active in the host country
• The starting point of a project is one of the 3 core types:
  school gardens, community gardens for women and reforestation
• The extension to "integrated-, macro- or total-“ solutions. Technology transfer plays a dominant role and it should lead to a right of “ownership” in favour of the local population.
• The local partner contributes to the project through manpower, funds, micro credit systems,…
• Standard multiplication of the project

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Functioning

The core projects are: women and school gardens and reforestation in regions who are difficulty to cultivate. Attention goes especially to 'total solutions', thus integration of cultivation, water, energy…. and economic activity.
Next to entities that work as trainings or to sensitization project, becomes then the necessary attention given at economic return, though then not related with a scaling-up.

Possible projects are evaluated firstly thoroughly to their feasibility. Which organization, school, ngo, women group will vouch for this project? Who are then the responsible? How is the situation on the site concerning. climate, water service, properties right, authorities…? What are the specific needs and possibilities? This everything is done during a first investigation through the project leader on site.

We want to concentrate the projects as much as possible geographically. Therefore the expenses go down, the contacts with the authorities and with the partners are easily and – quite considerably – can the succession of a project also continue, even after the project finalized is (normal must the project after 3 year on own power further can).

In dialogue with the local population and after investigation of the possibilities (vb. bottom investigation, analysis of the water availability, sociological investigation) is decided which techniques will be applied. Hereby becomes thought in first range the bottom improvement: compost, animal manure, soil conditioner (o. a. polymers, hydro gels, organic or mineral (put together) manure matter, TerraCottem®) or equivalent and supplementary systems.

It is well our intention from our core projects to go further. We want to help with our projects the concerned community and region also social and economic forward. Our help can go for the schools also to sanitary fitting, school convenience etc. The women gardens can result in the set up of a store, alternative boil processes…..
In a reforestation project, tree species can be chosen, who have also an economic interest or economic valuable products yield, through which small enterprises arise can. All these elements contribute to an added value, as well ecological as economic, through which the rural development is stimulated and an alternative is offered for the flight to the cities in these developing countries.

In all projects there will particular attention for the formation and training. Only then there can be a sustainable effect. Of cause the projects are intensely followed so there can be adjustment when necessary. A thorough evaluation teaches us many for the future.

But we think yet further. If we can stimulate via our projects, the economic activity in that community we want to work also with micro financing so that finally the people self can pay back their business with their profit.
We want to give them possibilities, know how, training and a starting fund, there future are in their own hands!

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Logo

Our name, Terr@dialoog, reflects the two piles on which our working supports.
Terr@: Because our basic activities are directed on making the ground fertile and working with the ground. From those activities a community can grow, as well ecological as economical
dialoog : (dialogue) because we the emphasis want to lay on the cooperation with the local population. Our working starts from their needs. Normally we work together with a local ngo and/or a western ngo, who is active there..
Use the @ for 'a' and 'and'; thus terra and dialogue...dialogue at the same time the earth and its inhabitants (plants and people...en animals)

The symbolism of the logo:

• the green globe and the leaves
  the cultivations that we do (reforestation, vegetables, fruit trees, etc))
   
• the blue circle
  everything turns around water, and… the élan of the communication, and the 'drive' in the community
   
• the name: the color of the ground
   
• everything together symbolizes the logo: growth

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