Implementation Report
ONE TREE PLANTED = ONE CHILD'S FUTURE: YOU'VE HELPED PLANT 16,000 TREES
"Not only will the trees and tools help provide income for our school, but the planting and knowledge helps in many more ways. It provides practice for farmers and teaches them models for the environment; it shows them diversity in food and encourages healthy fruit consumption; it also teaches people to value all trees so they cut down fewer village trees and helps us control soil erosion"
- Ato Welde Kidane, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Member
Real results, real impact:
- 4,418 children impacted
- 16,000 trees planted
- 77 PTA members trained
In total 77 PTA members in 11 communities gained knowledge of leadership, financial management, ecology, gender equality, project sustainability and income generation. 16,000 fruit and shade seedlings and 560 agricultural hand tools purchased by donors like you combine with that valuable training to create sustainable livelihoods that ensure children can attend school and flourish while there. Together we have impacted the lives of 4,418 children.
By 2010 the 2,000 trees planted in each of the 11 communities, will provide every student with a piece of fresh fruit every day as well as enough surplus fruit to sell at local markets to generate income for PTA initiatives such as library expansions and ongoing maintenance of school property. The members of these communities understand the potential return on your investment in trees. Each household has taken personal responsibility for specific seedlings and are committed to their survival and longevity.
girls go green
Ato Welde Kidane, Wazza Primary School's grade one teacher is happy to have recognized a special group of avid young students that have shown dedication and promise in their school's new tree planting project. After three days of tree planting training from imagine1day's Program Coordinator Yeheyis Berhane and regional agricultural specialists, Ato Welde shared his newly acquired green knowledge with his students. Six young girls stood out to Ato Welde. Their keen interest and nurturing cultivation skills were valuable assets when it came time to plant the 2,000 seedlings on Wazza's surrounding school grounds. New tools in hand, this group of planters dug in and made a difference. With the full participation of their community, the girls lead and accomplished the planting initiative in no time at all. Alganesh, Ganet, Ameta, Mangesha, Asadi and Birtuken worked side by side, digging while giggling. For women in Ethiopia, time spent in the field creates special bonds and empowers women to help one another. This group of six is well on their way to success and Welde knows it. To thank them and encourage fellow students to follow in their green foot prints, the Wazza PTA has given each of the six girls tree seedlings to plant in their family plots. With the new knowledge they've acquired, these girls will play a significant role in helping their community overcome nutritional and economic challenges. Go green; Go girls!
Birtuken's Story
"My name in Tigigna means orange, I love oranges and soon we will have a forest of orange trees and people will always remember who helped them grow"
Birtuken, age 7.
With new hand tools and key knowledge, young children like Birtuken are taking ownership of development projects that are greening and growing their communities. Along with blackboards, desks and shelves, wheel barrels and shovels have become essential classroom necessities as valuable life skills become integrated with lesson plans.
Every child imagine1day spoke with was excited about watching the trees they planted grow and bare fruit. Every child had their favorite. Oranges, papayas, mangos, avocados and guava trees comprise the list of closely watched seedlings. During school ecology class students will continue to learn how to care for the trees and structured time will be provided to ensure each seedling receives adequate watering. In communities where water scarcity is an issue, imagine1day is digging wells and constructing water points.
In two years grade one student Tseru will be entering grade three and his zeitun (guava) trees will already be bearing fruit. "I will be happy to eat zeitun every day in grade three and grow even bigger to finish all my school grades." Not only have you contributed to a project that is helping trees to grow but even more so, it is helping children grow.