Villages can choose their Trees

Well, it’s coming up to tree-planting time in Darfur and, more exciting than that, it’s coming up to trans-planting time!

This is when the Village Leaders from the newest villages come up to the Kids for Kids’ Tree Nursery in El Fasher which YOU have helped us renovate and get to choose the varieties of trees YOU have helped us plant for their own villages.

Of the 14 different varieties of drought-resistant trees we plant, the Leaders will seek out trees with by-products which will help nourish children and their families and give most financial benefit when sold.   Many of the trees have leaves that are  full of vitamin C for example.

There are always citrus trees chosen to provide shade and fruit by individual houses.

Normally a Neem or Moringa tree will also be included in the selection as they provide vital shade under their expansive branches for everyone – children, animals and the larger gatherings for regular Village Meetings.

It really is surprising how quickly these trees can grow!

And now that we have recently drilled and installed 6 new handpumps, the watering and care of trees will be so much easier. Without handpumps close by, it is a long walk for water and hard labour to water the trees, with water often miles away across the desert, but after the first two years the tap roots will have reached the water table, and they will survive.

Can you imagine how excited the 5 new villages will be to receive their trees?

There are just over 3,000 children in the 5 villages we have adopted this year – Hillat Sabil, Hillat Um Gadeer, Katonta, Korla and Kudeil – who can’t wait to play in the shade of a tree! There are 922 goats and 930 donkeys already in our villages which will benefit from shady trees to be planted nearer families’ homes.

In those villages where there are kindergartens, trees will be planted for children to learn in the shade and be educated about the benefits of plants. By health centres, trees will be planted to provide shade for those who are waiting and visiting their relatives.

These trees will make a vast difference to so many lives!

And you can continue to make a difference too!

Thank you so much for all you have given so far but there is always more to do.  Please will you help us plant more trees this year to change many more lives to come?  Every tree we plant helps to stabilise the desert and hold back the sahara.

Just $19 will plant 3 trees outside individual straw huts to provide shade and fruit, $46 plants 5 drought-resistant trees or $56 is enough for 20 fruit trees for a village.

Please donate here today and give what you can: Trees for Climate Change | Kids For Kids

Thank you so much for all your support!