We are excited to introduce you to our new super sustainable and ethical product the ‘Luffa Body Sponge’. Everything we do at Batula & Co has to have an element of giving back to our planet. Besides its ethical benefits, skin smoothing magic and self care enhancing properties each Luffa purchased contributes to an amazing cause.

By buying and promoting this brand of Luffa you help to restore the Future Gambia’s reforestation project. Details can be found here. The project was created and developed by the Women’s Initiative Gambia led by Isatou Cessay a grassroots activist who has been working with 1,000 women across Gambia. The aim of the project is to educate women and young people across the Gambia to start tree nurseries and plant edible and indigenous trees to rebuild native forest cover and improve food security for the future. As you know Qasil comes from the gob tree, we advocate and are passionate about any projects that prioritise planting native trees, something we do and will look at ways of planting more gob trees in the future.

Isatou Cessay runs other projects in the Gambia which recycle plastic waste into bags/purses ‘One Plastic Bag’ empowering women to learn a craft and business skills. This enables real work which contributes to the economy and means that these women can continue to support themselves and families.

Over the years the loss of trees and forest cover in the Gambia has had its consequences. People rely on trees for building materials and firewood, there has been a lack of education around the sustainable use of tree materials and replanting trees. Many are cut down and never replaced. Education for local people is vital for reforestation. The Gambia has had both Colonial and Commercial deforestation contributing to its dangerous lack of forest. Trees are a lifeline for people as they survive droughts and floods when other crops are destroyed. A tree can provide nuts and seeds all year round. A crucial contribution of nutrition food to a diet especially in rural areas affected by food poverty.

Donate to Reforest The Future - The Gambia here

We are living in the midst of a climate change crisis. Its autumn here in the UK and I am yet to wear my biggest coat. Not to mention floods across the UK. As I sign this off, Venice is under water. I don’t know about you, for me I intend on standing up for the earth. Climate change for that part of the world has meant that crop failure is more likely. Trees as you know bring back soil fertility and re-stabilise the land preventing erosion from heavy rains and wind. Forests build microclimates creating habitats for wildlife. Crops give trees cover from the scorching heat and strong winds.

Each Luffa you buy brings us closer to planting more and more trees through ‘Forest The Future’ in the Gambia. One of our priorities here at Batula & Co is to grow more gob trees in Somalia. This will be through various education enterprises which will educate communities on sustaining and growing trees. The plan would be to provide various skills in this field so that the work can continue into the future. It is important to us the skills are learnt, passed on and continue to equip communities. At the moment we plant trees but we would love to plant more and learn more.

Natural Luffas being prepared in The Gambia, Africa

Luffa provides various common grounds for us, to start with its a product that works with our beautiful artisan soaps and masks. secondly, we have a shared goal of growing more trees, educating local communities and supporting small businesses and last but not least protecting the environment. We are delighted to offer this natural scrub to you as it takes us a step closer to some of our future goals and slowly helping to eliminate the need for scrubs that scratch the skin or worse scrubs still using micro beads. Support a good cause, save the planet and achieve beautiful skin. Luffa Body Sponge, can be all yours here.

The Luffa Impact