Senegal, Thiaroye Sur Mer: Replacing deadly lead battery recycling with profitable hydroponic gardens
Acute lead poisoning, a rare condition requiring prolonged daily exposure to lead, took the lives of 18 young children from Ngagne Diaw in a matter of months. The women of the community had been breaking used lead-acid batteries and smelting the lead to extract it for resale. Lead fumes and dust contaminated the community killing children and impairing the health of others. Project partners and funders, along with the Senegalese government, not only removed lead contamination from the village, but also trained the women in hydroponic agriculture as an alternative to this toxic work.
