One tree on TV: One Tree per Child
Around 20,000 fruit trees for children and young people in the Kirinda region – and a goat for those who looked after their tree best.
A TV crew in Kirinda? That had hardly ever happened before. When around 3,600 trees were handed out to the pupils of the secondary school (9 Years Basic Education), the broadcaster “Rwanda TV” filmed the ceremony and ran a report on the “One Tree per Child” project in the evening news. Among those present were the executive secretary of Murambi sector, the pastor, the heads of the local schools and representatives of Junge Menschen für Afrika (Young People for Africa). The trees handed out were papayas, avocados, passion fruit, lemons, oranges and tree tomatoes.
From the pilot field to the family home
Before and after the distribution, lessons were held on the pilot project’s field so that the children could learn how to look after their young plants at home. The project was supported by a university-trained agronomist who had been working on it since October 2012. Visits to the imidugudus (small village communities) showed that the pupils had put what they had learnt into practice very well. The parents were also very interested in the trees and were glad to provide the space for them.
A prize for the best care
In total, around 20,000 trees were distributed in the Kirinda region, and the first ones were already bearing small fruit. The children and young people had been promised that those with the healthiest, best-kept trees would win a prize. In October 2013, four winners were honoured: two from the primary school and two from the secondary school. Each of them received a goat.
