VOA标准英语2010年-Villagers Fight the Rural Exodus in Se

A small group of villages in Senegal is slowly reversing the migration¹ of workers to urban areas by creating community-driven employment opportunities at home.

In 1988, Yanhobah Sy did the opposite of what hundreds of thousands of other Senegalese were doing.

He left his job working at a newspaper printing shop in Dakar and moved out to a tiny, remote village in one of the hottest and driest parts of the country. 

Sy says he was fighting against the rural exodus². People were leaving for Dakar, but not everyone can get a job in the city. The 52-year old father of six moved to the village of Ndem, in the Diourbel region of Senegal.

Diourbel is an area known as much for its harsh living conditions as for its deep religious and historic significance. Over a hundred years ago, it was the birthplace of the founder³ of the Baye Fall Islamic group - a sect⁴ that descends⁵ from the Mourides, which is one of the largest Islamic Brotherhoods⁶ in Senegal.

When Sy arrived at Ndem there were barely any trees. Crops had long since dried up and almost no one was around.

Sy says he came to Ndem to be close to his spiritual leader, or Marabout. He started out as a volunteer at the local school and then at the small health clinic.

Severe droughts during the 70s and 80s forced most of the men and young people to leave communities like Ndem and head for urban centers looking for better paying work. In most villages in this part of the country, the women and elderly were left behind.

Sy says he came to Ndem to work, to be an example of how he could fight against the rural exodus by making an income and staying close to his family.

Sixty years ago just under 15 percent of the population lived in Senegal's urban centers. Today, nearly one in every two people live in cities. The National Habitat Committee says Senegal has one of the highest rates of urbanization in Africa. And that has consequences for both village and city life.  

Amadou Daouda Dia coordinates⁷ programs at Senegal's Ministry⁸ of Agriculture.

Dia says in countries like Senegal, rural exodus is a result of how little money can be made from agriculture. Just under 60 percent of villagers live off their crops, but with climate changes this is becoming more difficult.

The irony⁹, says Dia, is that the cities don't often have viable¹⁰ work alternatives for these migrants. People try to work in small informal businesses, in transport or artisan. But these jobs offer no benefits. They don't make a lot of money, and they aren't highly skilled jobs.

Sy was able to continue living at Ndem because he could eventually earn an income and learn a business trade.

His Marabout, Babacar Mbow and his French wife Aicha, were making clothes with a single sewing machine and strips of recycled fabric¹¹. Over the decades this hobby blossomed into an international Fairtrade company and a non-governmental organization called Maam Samba.

Today the artisan company includes 12 workshops that specialize in metal works, home decor, organic clothing and fabric dyeing and basket weaving. The NGO works on various social and environmental projects. They have developed environmentally friendly combustible¹² balls made of peanut shells and clay, started a drip-irrigation system for an organic garden and planted aloe vera fields for medicinal and beauty purposes.

The entire Maam Samba organization employs over 300 residents from 13 local villages. They are all trained by international experts in the areas of craftsmanship¹³, agriculture, health and education.

Sy heads the main office for Maam Samba finished artisan products. From here their goods are sent to Dakar and then shipped to stores around the world, including Japan, France, Belgium and the US.

The ripple¹⁴ effects from the economic downturn of 2009 were felt in Ndem. Falling product orders at Maam Samba meant salaries, like Sy's, were reduced. His pay went from $185 a month down to just over a $100.

But Sy remains¹⁵ certain that Ndem is still a much better option than living in the city.

In Dakar he says life is very difficult. But he says at least here you can live in your own house and not pay high rent. You pay less electricity and water is cheaper. He says when you go to Dakar you are obliged to pay for a lot. He says in the village we live as a community. Everything is shared. However, he says, in Dakar you have to buy your own food, your family is not with you, but you must still pay to feed them. Here you're family is right in front of you.

Docey Lewis is a design consultant¹⁶ with the U.S.-based nonprofit Aid to Artisans. She teaches new weaving and knitting techniques in Ndem.

"The cotton's grown here, it's spun¹⁷, carted, woven and dyed here, so you do everything on site and part of what's happening in other villages around the world, but most villages have a hard part with one part or the other. They either can't grow it or can't color it. There are too many problems. So to be able to do it all makes it workable," Lewis said.

Sy says the village of Ndem has been transformed over the last 25 years, revitalizing both the area's natural environment and its sense of community with men and young people returning home and families reunited. 
 

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

3 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

4 sect   

n.派别，宗教，学派，派系

参考例句：

• When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。
• Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。

5 descends   

v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 )；下去；下降；下斜

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite. 这个节日起源于宗教仪式。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The path descends steeply to the village. 小路陡直而下直到村子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 brotherhoods   

兄弟关系( brotherhood的名词复数 )； （总称）同行； （宗教性的）兄弟会； 同业公会

参考例句：

• Clubs became more like brotherhoods for the jobless and fans would do anything for them. 俱乐部变得更像是失业者协会，球迷愿意为其做任何事情。

7 coordinates   

n.相配之衣物；坐标( coordinate的名词复数 )；（颜色协调的）配套服装；[复数]女套服；同等重要的人（或物）v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的第三人称单数 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• The town coordinates on this map are 695037. 该镇在这幅地图上的坐标是695037。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

10 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

11 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

12 combustible   

a. 易燃的,可燃的; n. 易燃物,可燃物

参考例句：

• Don't smoke near combustible materials. 别在易燃的材料附近吸烟。
• We mustn't take combustible goods aboard. 我们不可带易燃品上车。

13 craftsmanship   

n.手艺

参考例句：

• The whole house is a monument to her craftsmanship. 那整座房子是她技艺的一座丰碑。
• We admired the superb craftsmanship of the furniture. 我们很欣赏这个家具的一流工艺。

14 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

15 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

16 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

17 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。