Rufisque, Senegal

The school “Le Petite Prince d’Handiscole” was founded in 1998 on the initiative of Anna Gaye.
It welcomes 60 disabled and non-disabled pupils who have not had the chance to “experience” school to give them hope and dignity. The average proportion of pupils is : 1/3 disabled children, 1/3 children whose parents are disabled, deceased or very poor, 1/3 able-bodied children. The disabled children come from different types of disabilities: intellectual, motor, autistic, Down’s syndrome, amputations, visually impaired, hearing impaired.


The school has a pleasant, cool courtyard with trees and flowers, providing daily contact with nature for the children. But this small space is too small to develop a vegetable garden project.

Thus, in 2021, Dessine l’Espoir used its experience of creating an educational vegetable garden on the roof of the Bercy school in Paris to accompany the inclusive Handiscole school in Rufisque, in the creation of a vegetable garden on its 60m2 roof terrace.

Three types of growing trays have been designed:

  • One allows cultivation on 4 levels thanks to a metal structure equipped with 2 platforms of 60x120cm and one of 40X 120cm.
  • The second one is composed of two platforms of 30x120cm, welded on a structure that fits on the edge of the wall of the roof terrace.
  • The third consists of a flower composed of 5 petals drawn by a double metal band assembled around a central hoop. 

The principle of recycling was chosen to limit costs and to present an ecological garden concept. Indeed, the durable metal modules can accommodate recycling bins that the association has been able to collect.

Designing Hope has also favoured local craftsmanship, entrusting the creation of these structures to a young ironworker from the Mbour region, and the creation of mosquito net covers to an upholsterer from Rufisque to protect the crops.

An animator was recruited to involve the children in the life of this vegetable garden, and organize daily sessions of educational games around nutrition and the garden with the different classes.

  • Check out the latest posts from Rufisque below!

Extension of the Rufisque Garden

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At the request of the school, which has noted the success of the Rufisque vegetable garden, we are extending the garden to increase the production of vegetables for the kitchen and involve more children, particularly the younger ones in nursery … Read More

Vegetable domino game with children from the Handiscole school in Rufisque

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Among the games available to children at the Rufisque school, the vegetable domino game is particularly popular. The children have to find the vegetables corresponding to their coloured board. They then have to sort the vegetables by size on their … Read More

Games with the children of the Handiscole school in Rufisque

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Designing Hope has provided educational games based around vegetables, which are particularly popular with the children at the Rufisque school. Joseph is in charge of these classroom activities, as well as working directly on the school roof to water and … Read More

Crop maintenance in Rufisque, Senegal

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In half classes, the children come every day to help Joseph, the garden leader, for the watering of the seedlings and the preparation of the new culture containers. They were able to discover with joy the young squash and melon … Read More

Collection of materials for the Rufisque garden, Senegal

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From now on, the children of the Handiscole School of Rufisque participate in the watering of the crops, the collection of materials (small branches, cardboard) to prepare the compost and the seedling trays. There is a lot to do, since … Read More

“Nature in the city” in Rufisque, Senegal

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“Nature in the City” on display in Rufisque! All the photographs taken in Rufisque for the “Nature in the City” exhibition were printed, framed and offered to the Handiscole school to decorate the walls. These photos were also used to … Read More

Installation of prototypes on the roof of the school in Rufisque, Senegal

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The prototypes of the cultivation structures for the rooftop of the Petits Princes school in Rufisque are in place! A cover was custom made from greenhouse fabric by an upholsterer in downtown Mbour. Two side zippers allow the control of … Read More

Composting in Rufisque, Senegal

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Three big basins were bought on the market to make compost. To feed it, the children of the Petits Princes school in Rufisque went to collect branches, cardboard and leaves of shrubs on a vacant lot near the school. To … Read More

Preparing a nursery in Rufisque, Senegal

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After having prepared the sifted ground, three methods were used to prepare the nursery of the Petits Princes school’s garden in Rufisque. The clod maker was used for the squash seedlings. Peppers, tomatoes, peppers and aubergines were sown in plastic … Read More

The clod press in Rufisque, Senegal

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A clod maker was placed at the disposal of Joseph, the animator of the Petits Princes school in Rufisque. This is the most ecological method of sowing seedlings in a nursery. Indeed, it avoids the use of plastic cups and … Read More

Preparing soil for the garden in Rufisque, Senegal

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To fill the trays of culture of the garden of the school of the Petits Princes in Rufisque, we used several organic components. First, we went to a vacant lot of land in the neighborhood to find tree branches that … Read More

Installation of metal structure in Rufisque, Senegal

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The roof terrace of the Petits Princes school in Rufisque has an area of 60 m². In order to optimize this small surface and to increase the production of vegetables, we imagined metal structures allowing cultivation on 4 levels. The … Read More

The face memory game at the Petits Princes school, Rufisque, Senegal

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Following the exhibition “Nature en Ville” with the children of the Petits Princes school in Rufisque, Designing Hope made a memory game. It was particularly appreciated by the children, as recognising their friends helps them remember the location of the … Read More