References

Shindouk in the desert
The principle person responsible for the planning and execution of the trips offered by Taoudeni Trek and Sahara Passion is Shindouk Mohamed Lamine ould Najim. He has ten years experience in tourism and a lifetime of experience in the deserts of Mali, Algeria, Mauritania, Niger, and Libya. He is also the only Berabish Tuareg in tourism and chief of his tribe, the Oulad Najim.

The profits of his own work go directly or indirectly to help his community. When he isn’t drumming up money to put in a well, a school, a dispensary in their territory North of Timbuktu, he is using his contacts to see that some of the food aid makes it out there to people in serious need. With his earnings he purchases grain or animals to help rebuild the herds decimated by droughts and the rebellion. For more information on what he is doing for his tribe see his website created by a Swiss NGO, ICVolonteers, of which he is a member: www.shindouk.org. Shindouk is the representative of the Timbuktu region of ICVolunteers, a non-profit organization currently developing a project related to information for farmers in Mali and Senegal. For more information, visit the ETIC website.

Competencies:

Union Regional des Guides et Chameliers de Tombouctou
This recently created association unites all the official guides both of the city and the desert. Their goal is to put more order and professionalism into the guide industry of Timbuktu. If you select a guide via this organization you have recourse to them if your guide behaved inappropriately or did not fulfil his contract. The unanimously elected president of the association is Shindouk Mohamed Lamine. The office is located right next door to Taoudeni Voyage.

Syndicate d'Initiative pour le delvelopemont de tourisme a Tombouctou
This initiative was put in place by the Malian government with the objectives of improving the tourist sector in Timbuktu. The syndicate has influence over the transport, hotel, restaurant aspects of tourisme as well as the guides and artisans. Shindouk has been elected president of this syndicate as well. He works together with the governor, mayor, representatives of the general assembly and representatives of partner organizations, such as the world bank, to develop strategies to improve the tourist sector. See the governmental decree for the formation of the initiative and the minutes of the first meeting here.




Diplomas