My name is Sangha Dia, in Algarrobo they know me as Dicke. I was born in Medina Dakar, a small village in the northern part of Senegal known as Louga There most of the families are dedicated to working the land: the children do a little bit of everything according to their possibilities; the women are more dedicated to household chores, although they also help in agricultural work; and men carry out tasks of higher physical performance. We farm to eat and if there is anything left over, we sell it to buy other goods that we cannot produce. When I was 34, I met Daour, my wife. We soon became parents of Fatou and Sini, and we expected a better life for our daughters. We were aware of the risks we might take in a boat trip to Europe, but we felt it was worth trying. People tend to think that the riskiest part of such a journey is crossing the “salt border” but previously we must face months, in my case 8, living very badly in Morocco until we get the chance of crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. During the time I spent in Tanger, I could survive thanks to locals’ charity, as there was no chance to get a job or a house. My first attempt to cross the Strait failed, as the mafias swindled me out of everything I had at the time. At last, in summer 2004, I reached the coast of Barbate (Cadiz). We were picked up by the Red Cross on the beach and for 21 days I stayed in a camp for illegal immigrants. Once in Spain, if you do not have papers, the government requires you to stay 3 years in the country to regularize your situation; it is achieved through a pre-contract signed with an employer, full time for at least one year, which is practically impossible for someone who does not know the culture and language of the country, and also has no papers. I traveled to Algarrobo in search of my cousin Mamadú, who took me into his home. I quickly started working as a street vendor selling music CDs and DVDs; my family needed money. This is the most visible job for Senegalese arriving in Spain, but it has its risks: jail. I ended up there for 8 months. When they released me I understood I had to get involved with the country, learn the language and getting jobs that would offer me new opportunities. The first step was contacting with the NGO Málaga Acoge; they offer the opportunity to achieve rights for immigrants without papers, like me. That's where I met Pedro, my friend and partner. He has always lived linked to social action; his Spanish classes were much more than grammar and vocabulary, because in his way of teaching us there was understanding, empathy and commitment to help. I don't know how it happened, but Pedro decided to go one step further to support me. He gave me a job in his vegetable garden, and involved his son (also Pedro) so that a company would offer me a formal contract that would give me the option of obtaining residency. After 11 years as an undocumented immigrant, thanks to my Spanish family, and especially to Pedro (junior) for his great knowledge and awareness of the situation in my region of origin, I became a citizen with rights, work and a future for my family. They still live in Senegal, and my dream is to acquire in Spain enough knowledge and resources to develop my own projects in my land, and thus achieve a better life in our country, I hope you can join me in this adventure! Today, I am partner of Pedro (senior) in the production of organic sweet potato, potato, and mango, I work hand in hand with Pedro (junior), and I collaborate with the nearby tropical farms owned by other friends in the area.

Our farm is located in a place known as "pago de Trayamar", in the area of Canto Blanco. It is a traditional cultivation area of sweet potato orchards and other horticultural products, which are grown almost all year round thanks to its proximity to the sea, with mild temperatures and many hours of sunshine. In Algarrobo coexist very different professions that make our town even more attractive: agriculture, fishing, and tourism. It is therefore a model of diversified development, with cultural nuances that arise from the activities of the land and the sea, and that we recommend. In Algarrobo we all know each other: we are humble people who live from what has always been lived around here, even the tourists are part of the village, as they are usually families who come back every year during their vacations. Despite being a coastal place, it has preserved its identity and urban transformation has been very limited; just a few meters from the beach you can find tomato orchards, olive groves and fields of avocados and mangoes. The "Huerta con Sangha" is a project of traditions. The ancestors of my partner, Pedro, have been cultivating this place forever. Potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, even avocados! have been grown on the farm. Since I have been working there, we have been growing sweet potatoes, potatoes, and mangoes. One of the customs we maintain is tilling with mules; this task is done to remove the weeds that compete with the sweet potato, and it is equivalent to irrigation since it aerates the soil. For this we have the help of José and his mule Red Bull, a very great couple. I arrived at the farm thanks to a stroke of luck. After a long journey from Senegal, Pedro (senior) crossed my life to change it forever. He was my Spanish teacher in "Malaga Acoge", an NGO dedicated to help immigrants, to achieve that we have full rights and duties as citizens. From this experience, Pedro trusted me and decided to give me a job opportunity, which opened the door to a decent life in Europe. It was easy for me to adapt to the job since I had been a farmer in my country since I was a child. Soon a close relationship between us arose, which together with the help of Pedro (junior) allowed me to take up residence in Spain and become a partner in the family business. Our farm gets its water from La Viñuela reservoir. We cannot use the surrounding wells because the proximity to the sea brings salts to them. A sweet potato plant needs about 12 irrigations during its life cycle; they are quite drought tolerant, so they are perfect for our Mediterranean climate. We use drip irrigation, because no matter how little water the plant needs, it is vital to save every drop. Since 2013 our farm is certified as organic, thanks to the willingness of Pedro (junior) to implement sustainable cultivation methods. Most of the tasks are manual or thanks to Red Bull’s help, and we do not use any kind of phytosanitary products. Routinary tasks at the farm are performed by Pedro (senior), whose experience makes him the best consultant; Pedro (junior) is in charge of “a little bit of everything” and always aimed at managing resources properly; I am responsible of routinary tasks in the fields. During high season (sowing and harvesting) work increases and 4 or 5 more people join the team, they are from Senegal and also live in Algarrobo as do our partners Jose and Red Bull. Working with Pedro is a true pleasure, because with him we live a culture of respect and his eagerness for the integration of cultures. Of course, everyone has a contract and receives a fair salary for their work, according to the labor agreement. Regarding the harvest quality, we select the pieces depending on their skin, that must be hardened and with no damages. Depending on the size we can find very small tubers of just a few grams, and others that reach almost 2kg. The waste is donated to farms in the area as animal feed.