A Billion Trees for Kenya

To finalise the last details of the Billion Tree Campaign handover with the UNEP, Caro and Frithjof from the Secretariat travelled on behalf of the Global Board to Nairobi. They report the following results to the Global Board from Kenya.

1. In the last five years, citizens, companies and governments have together planted 455 million trees in Kenya. By the end of 2012 they want this number to more double and pledge to plant a billion trees.

Migaa pledges to plant 200,000 trees nearby Nairobi

2. Many companies in Kenya have promised to finance Academies and spread the tree planting message to the next generations of Wangari Maathai’s country.

Forestry James, who is responsible for the 200,000 trees with Caro, Robert von Migaa and Leah with her son Dexter – the next generation.

3. Our first employee in Kenya, Leah Wanambwah, starts on 1st April. Leah worked for Wangari Maathai’s Green Belt Movement for a year and a half and has supervised the Billion Tree Campaign for the UNEP for the past two years.

Frithjof, Wanjira the daughter of Wangari Maathai and Leah

4. One of the outcomes of our first Academy in Nairobi in July 2011 is that Leah is now able to build a team of young moderators, which Peter and Charles will oversee with their network Child Peace in Kenya. Children from the rich areas of Nairobi as well as from the slums will be able to participate in the Academies.

Girl in Korogocho

In the container for homework the children are happy about the new books.

Our Academy-Team in Nairobi

5. Children of the Korogocho slum dream to fill the biggest landfill in East Africa, which borders the Korogocho neighbourhood and poisons the 100,000 people who live there with burning waste, with trees. That would be a wonderful project.

Let´s plant trees on the biggest garbage dump of East Africa

6. Global Board’s invitation for an advisory body for the Billion Tree Campaign our Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation has been sent to the UNEP, ICRAF, FAO Forestry, Prince Albert II Foundation and Green Belt Movement and the first written approvals have already reached us.

The United Nations