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Here’s a reflection from our Kenyan team on International Day of Forests this year.
We mark this day in March by creating awareness of the importance of creating new and conserving existing forests.
During this day everyone is encouraged to undertake activities involving forests by highlighting the importance of ecosystems in the fight against climate change.
The battle against deforestation and degradation of forests needs to be everyone’s priority.
Campaigns on the conservation and restoration of the forest are very important. Forests play a key role; they are considered the lungs of the planet. Trees purify the air by reducing carbon dioxide and help regulate the climate: they sustain life on earth, are a source of water and are home to many species of animals.
When we take good care of our forests, by stopping deforestation and degradation we can reduce soil erosion and other natural disasters that are dangerous to our planet.
Word Forest has been at the forefront of advocating for, protecting and restoring forests through tree planting initiatives, education and empowering women in the community. By providing education on the importance of the forest and offering the women training in alternative sustainable ways to earn a living rather than cutting down trees to burn charcoal, the trees stay in the ground and are nurtured and appreciated.
On this very day here at the PTC, we were joined by pupils from Kakuhani Junior and Secondary schools and three of their teachers, to plant trees.
We were joyous to have them and the pupils were excited to be invited to take part in the exercise, mainly because they wanted to personally thank Word Forest for building two classrooms at their school. It so happens that the grade 7 & 8 pupils were the ones in those classes.
Sanita, a grade 7 girl, said “I couldn’t wait to get to grade 7 because only seven and eight use the new classrooms. The classes are a few years old but to us, we call them the new classrooms to date. Every Kakuhani school child aspires to one day learn, in those classrooms.’‘
Teacher Maitha said, “It’s not only the children though, even we teachers have longed to teach in those classes. They are very well ventilated.”
We all burst into laughter.
When asked how they felt about this day, Katana, a grade 8 boy, had this to say.
“One day a year is not enough to plant trees. I wish it could be done more often.”
All the other pupils nodded their heads in agreement.
Eva replied to them all, explaining about the tree nursery and that we encourage people to plant trees by giving saplings for free and teaching them how to take care of them.
She also told the children that they are allowed to come and collect saplings to plant either at their school, or home and she went on and personally promised a school related present for anyone who will plant and take care of their trees until they are out of danger, which is at about 6 months, and the minimum number was 20 saplings for starters.
The children cheered and one could hear them betting that they would get the first present.
The pupils wanted to stay longer but because this day is not a public holiday, we were allowed to have them, during their second break, for 45 mins only. The planting holes were pre dug the previous day so they quickly planted, ate their snacks, which were milk and donuts, and went back to school.
Overall, we were able to plant 528 saplings. 246 with the pupils of Kakuhani and the remainder with the Mothers of the Forest and the Word Forest staff.
This year’s event happened during the dry season in Garashi which isn’t good for transplanting. It’s hard for the saplings to survive when there’s no water since it is the basis of life. We must nurture them.
When we plant a seed in the soil we are securing the lives of our generation to come.
Trees are the keys to our future.
Trees Are The Key!!
The Kenya Team
