A pebble road leads to the garden, which also has a large house on the mountainside in the forest. The house, surrounded by the forest from all three sides, is made primarily of red brick and timber.
Meshe eco-village, or to put it precisely, eco-community, was set up by Murad in Dashtatuk village, Lankaran.
Things started when Murad Ibrahimov, 38, who was running the popular ETUD Cafe&Bar music venue in Baku, decided to relocate to a village that is part of the city of Lankaran, where he is also originally from. He is Talish, a member of one of the ethnic minority groups in Azerbaijan.
Self-sustainable
His relocation happened because of his desire to connect with nature, create healthy living habits and establish an eco-community in 2019. Previously, he lived in various countries and cities, but a lack of connection with soil and nature remained a problem.
He sought a place where he wouldn’t have to start from scratch with difficulty, but one that offered connection, acquaintances, and familiarity.
While more people in the country are moving to the capital city, given socio-economic factors, Murad’s story is the reverse of this common tendency.
Also, globally, rapid urbanisation is growing. Still, given climate and environmental concerns, it creates a drive for young people to seek ways to reconnect with the land in a nature-friendly way.
What makes Meshe eco-village unique is its adherence to sustainability values and the intention to build a community that fosters these values. The purpose is to create a community or small village of five to ten families that will work and live together to make the area economically self-sustainable.
Together
There is no sustainability term in the livelihoods of local villagers. This way of living is naturally given to them based on centuries-old traditions.
However, the application of innovative energy and water-saving technologies, along with building awareness around environmental sustainability, is underway to make life in the eco-village more nature-friendly.
Meshe, which means forest in the Azerbaijani language, would not be possible without the support of friends, members, volunteers, and local villagers. Currently, Meshe is sustained through the hard work of several permanent or long-term-staying community members and seasonal volunteers.
These community members are individuals who plan to settle in the area in the future.
“We sleep under one roof, with two people in each room. And at the same time, we work together. No one acts individually. We give people a lot of experience, which they cannot gain anywhere else.
Permaculture
“In return, we also gain experience from them, which we can examine and learn about if we come together as a community.”
Volunteers have a range of backgrounds, including biologists, creative groups, and many others. “Over the past 4 years, we have accepted over 200 volunteers and gained more than 10 community members who have joined us for six months, one year, or more.”