AES Friday Film Series: The Man Who Stopped the Desert

Description

Friday, August 15, 2025 – Abibitumi Friday Film Series

Title: The Man Who Stopped the Desert

Description:
In the heart of northern Burkina Faso, Yacouba Sawadogo—dismissed by some as “just” an illiterate farmer—stood his ground while others fled the creeping desert. As drought and desertification pushed deep into once-fertile lands in the 1970s and 80s, entire villages abandoned their homes in search of food and water. Yacouba chose a different path: to stay, to fight, and to win. By reviving and innovating the ancient Zai farming method, he transformed dead earth into living soil, reversing decades of ecological devastation and restoring abundance to the Sahel.

But Yacouba’s greatest battle wasn’t only against the sand and the sun—it was against the mindset of those around him, shaped by colonial disruption and disbelief. This is a story of Black ingenuity, resilience, and liberation—a living testimony that we have everything we need to save ourselves, our land, and our future.

Why attend?
You’ll witness an extraordinary true story of environmental victory and then join my live Q&A for deeper insight into how indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage, and Abibifahodie ‘Black Liberation’ principles can be applied to today’s ecological and social challenges. This is your chance to ask questions, draw practical lessons, and leave empowered to be part of the solution in your own community.

Time: 3:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM GMT
Facilitator: Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé Kambon