Long-Term Food Security for 4000 Samburus in Kenya

Rain!  For the first time in three years there has been a decent amount of rainfall and the landscape has changed completely from rough, dry, and brown to lush, vibrant, and green.  New growth has erupted here at Sadhana Forest Kenya, in the kitchen gardens of our tree recipients, and in community tree plots.  We’re not just seeing new buds, fresh leaves, and tall grass, but also all of our water conservation efforts are paying off.  During the drought we could not always see the results of our efforts; hand-digging the nearly rock-hard earth to make bunds, swales, and water catchments without a drop of water to prove their utility.  Now, it’s a very different story that we are so pleased to tell you.  There is vast greenery everywhere we have planted over the years.  We’re doing it!  Catching and keeping water where it lands is a vital root of land restoration.

In other locations, where SFK has not yet been able to reach, the story of the recent rains did not always end with such great news.  With deforestation comes eroded and degraded soil so the rain is not absorbed where it lands, but runs down the slope.  This fast moving water further erodes the soil, resulting in landslides, floods, destroyed ecosystems, properties, and worse.  There is so much that can be done to prevent run-off, catch the rain, and heal the Earth.

We feel inspiration and hope with every bit of growth we can see on the land and because of the amazing community members we get to work with.  Recently, we began collaborating with Samburu Girls Foundation, an organisation that helps girls at risk of child marriage.  Planting trees and learning alongside people of varying backgrounds and experiences is a wonderful way to bring people together, build community, and foster empathy for one another.  We can’t wait to tell you more about this and future collaborations.

From all of us at Sadhana Forest: Happy Holidays and Thank You to our volunteers, donors, and the GlobalGiving community!  To learn more, provide feedback, or inquire about volunteering, email kenya@sadhanaforest.org.

Ashe Oleng! (“Thank you very much!” in Kisamburu)

We have been very busy over the last few months here at Sadhana Forest Kenya.  One focus has been caring for our youngest trees as they are most vulnerable during dry times such as these - but we are happily anticipating some big rainfalls predicted to come soon!  Meanwhile, we have been full of energy and productivity with nearly 20 outreach team members planting daily in the surrounding communities.  We have usually been planting within 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) of Sadhana Forest during day trips, but at the end of July the team spent two weeks on the road and visited multiple far off villages.

We began increasing the number of moringa seedlings planted.  For this we needed to get a higher quantity of seeds.  Thankfully, many of the moringa trees we have planted in the past are now readily producing plenty of seeds!  This means we are now purchasing seeds directly from the people who, only a few years ago, planted the seedlings with us.  How nice it is to see these trees come full circle and give back to their caretakers in so many ways.

We are so happy to have welcomed back, and hosted for two weeks, a travelling high school from South Korea.  The school has been a regular visitor.  A group of local Samburu students joined the Korean students for a work experience program.  Together, they learned hands-on all about caring for trees in an arid landscape and planted food-producing trees in the local community.  This was also a rewarding cross-cultural exchange - the Kenyan students learned to cook some Korean meals and the Koreans learned Kenyan songs and dance!  Thank you very much to all our Korean friends!

Thank you to our volunteers, donors, and the GlobalGiving community!  If you would like to provide feedback, learn more about our projects, or if you are interested in volunteering with us, please email us at kenya@sadhanaforest.org.  There is also an opportunity to leave a note at the end of this report.

Ashe Oleng! (“Thank you very much!” in Kisamburu)