La Bolina: Regenerating Soil and Society in Granada

If distressing images of the cruel treatment of refugees has taught us anything, it’s that ignorance isn’t bliss, it’s the problem.

Blazing the motto, ‘Regenerating land. Regenerating lives,’ the La Bolina ‘Regeneration Project’ is a forward-thinking collaborative attempting a new approach to refugeeism, with their vision of regenerating a rural town in the Spanish province of Granada using permaculture models.

“This project aims to build a mutual relationship and trust between refugees and rural communities through the regeneration of degraded landscapes,” explains one of the team’s core members, Gilbert Jassey, a Gambian refugee who is seeking asylum in Spain after being persecuted by his government for environmental activism. “By using permaculture models to regenerate and redesign degraded landscapes we hope to bring diversity, livelihoods and abundance.”

The rural village where La Bolina established was virtually a ghost town before they arrived, due to depopulation caused by high unemployment and deterioration of the land. Now together in solidarity, migrants, refugees and local people are working the soil to create sustainable livelihoods, all the time regenerating the ecosystem and economy of the area.

“The most rewarding parts for me in being involved in this project are bringing hope to a changing climate by using the best practices of regenerative design,” Gilbert says, “and working with refugees to give back to and exchange with their new communities through win-win solutions by working with nature.”

As one of five groups to win the Spring Prize Intentional Projects Award in 2017, La Bolina received £10,000 to help bring their idea to fruition. “Winning the Spring Prize has meant a lot for me and my team,” Gilbert tells us. “It means that the hard work, love, and dedication we are giving to this project has been recognised. This has added to my motivation to do more in making the world a better place for human habitation and all species. I’m committed to using the opportunity to improve the community and the land. I believe the result will benefit many generations to come.”

Read more about La Bolina through their website here.