A YEAR after a Malvern firm started sponsoring a gardener for a project in Africa, the young people who run the scheme are ready to try for self-sufficiency.

Energy Solutions backed the plantation project in The Gambia, which provided year-round income for residents.

The gardener helped water the crops grown by the project, including bananas and cashew saplings.

David McCann, managing director of Energy Solutions, said the company's work was part of a commitment to running an ethical business.

“We established the company as a social enterprise and while we mostly support projects in the UK, we felt that this was something that we could do for a reasonable cost and bring really important benefits," he said.

Omar Jammeh, director of the Gambian side of JustAct, thanked Energy Solutions for its support.

JustAct Gambia is currently collecting gardening tools and looking for help in developing a small solar irrigation system.

Anyone wishing to help can contact Dave Adams on the JustAct Gambia Facebook page or by calling Energy Solutions on 01684 893 000.