Ecovillages are human-scale communities or settllements, rural or urban, which strive to create models for sustainable living. They can be newly constructed or as is frequent in Senegal ancient traditional villages. They are communities that strive to protect, restore, create and maintain
a lifestyle that integrates:
1. A Holistic Worldview, with socially engaged spirituality, listening to and connecting with nature, celebrating life and preserving the richness of ancient culture lifestyles, healing and other arts and crafts
2. Social solidarity protecting all from the worst forms of poverty and alienation, good leadership and governance, education, health services, conflict resolution, and information technologies permitting transparent management and communication with the outside world
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3. A sustainable local economy, protected from the
withdrawal of fossil fuels from Africa, community production and barter, microcredit and savings clubs, diverse organic agriculture, and responsible fishing and manufacturing
4. Restoring and protecting nature, durable,l and environmentally healthy settlements, solar energy and other appropriate technologie
In Africa, until recently, ecological villages have been the world as most rural people knew it. Former traditional villagers had no need of a concept of "nature" separate from human life, or of "ecovillages" as different from, and better than their own. Nevertheless, when modern health care, sanitation and education become available, however, villagers desire to enjoy them. As modern environmental problems become visible, villagers also, like people everywhere yearn deeply to restore the health and beauty of their failing environments
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