Refugium I

In the year 2003 the Algerian Madjid Abdellaziz who had studied in Berlin started a privat desert greening project at the northern border of the Algerian Sahara. The approach developed by him, called holistic environmental healing, combines traditional methods of agriculture with Cloudbusting according to Wilhelm Reich, some electrophysical methods of water treatment developed by the Austrian scientist Victor Schauberger in the early 20th century als well as ancient vedic methods to increase the fertillity of poor soils. The micro-climate created by him enables agricultural settlements in a diameter of 200 km around Djanan – the place where he runs his own 30-hectar-farm. One initial reason for the foundation of refugium was to support his work in Algeria and represent him as a NGO to communicate his advanced visions in the western world.

Starting with his experimental & educational farm Madjid Abdellaziz sees a perspective for sustainable agricultural settlement of algerians as well as of refugees passing the region from Central Africa heading towards Europe. According to his vision more settlements similar to the one planned in the vicinity of Djanan will line up to a "wave" crossing Northern Africa.

Till now 6.000 trees and 4 acres of grapes were planted in Djanan. This spring more infrastructur will be set up providing shelter for settlers as well as a public building for volunteers, scientists and the first students of the desert greening school to be run in Djanan.