
It’s day 3 of The Big Give Christmas Challenge, all this week donations made via our Big Give profile are being DOUBLED! If you‘re thinking of giving this festive season, this is the perfect time to do so, as your gift will go twice as far! The money raised during the Big Give will go towards funding our ‘My 20 trees and Me’ project, which engages Kenyan primary school children in tree planting and environmental education. Over 50% of Kenya’s population is under 18 and with just 7% tree cover, we believe it’s incredibly important to ensure that the next generation appreciate the importance of trees and forests from an early age. This week we are sharing the stories of children who have already participated in ‘My 20 Trees and Me’.
Today, 10 year old Ruth from Kiriari Primary School shares her thoughts on why trees are important for her.
Why are trees important to you?
‘Trees are important to me because they provide shade. We enjoy the shade at lunchtime especially, and trees also provide timber and firewood. And they attract rainfall to help crops grow.’
What have you enjoyed most about participating in ‘My 20 Trees and Me’?
‘Planting trees within my school compound; I have learnt the many benefits of trees and am glad to participate in making our school greener. The project is motivating me to continue planting more trees not only in my school but also in my home.’
What kind of trees have you planted in your school, and how many?
‘I planted trees for the first time this year, 10 Casuarina equisetifolia and 10 Grevillea robusta.’
What happens once you’ve planted the trees?
‘When I come to school in the morning I water them and check whether they are damaged.’
What do you want to do when you leave school?
‘I want to be a nurse when I grow up. I‘m going to work hard at school to achieve this.’
Help more of Mount Kenya’s children to plant and appreciate trees with a donation today, and make it go twice as far. Donate here.