Long-Term Food Security for 4000 Samburus in Kenya

Recently, volunteer Anai Herz sat down for a chat with long-time tree recipient, Njamuni Letunta.  We are so pleased to share the interview with you here.

Tell me about yourself and your family.
I belong to a village called Lmara where there is a lot of open land. I am married to Lari and am blessed with 4 boys. I am happy. 

What has Sadhana Forest Kenya changed about your life?
Before Sadhana my life was hard. We did not have any protected land to grow food. We did not know the importance of the trees - we cut them down to make charcoal. Now my husband has a job at Sadhana Forest Kenya and I know the importance of the trees. Sadhana Forest Kenya has planted so many trees with us. I water the trees every day in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before dinner. We now live in a good environment with shade and even a breeze. We have lots of regenerated land. We now have peace. Our children are going to school. We have so many more opportunities. 

How many trees have you planted with Sadhana Forest Kenya?
We have 120 trees! 

What benefits do you receive from the trees?
The trees provide shade and a good environment. We sell the moringa (Moringa stenopetala) seeds and eat the moringa leaves for nutrition and to treat some diseases.  Many other trees are still too young to produce fruit, but one day they will. Sadhana Forest Kenya planted the thorny kei apple (Dovyalis caffra) tree around the fence to protect us from wild animals like elephants and lions.

What is your favorite tree and why?
My favorite trees are the moringa and the African wild olive (Olea africana). Moringa provides a lot of nutrition and can treat a lot of different diseases, and the African wild olive is a medicinal plant and very important in the traditions of our culture. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you Sadhana Forest for everything you are doing: giving my husband a job, giving us water, and most of all, for planting the trees and teaching us the importance of trees.

Thank you Njamuni for caring for those trees and believing in the work of Sadhana Forest Kenya, and thank you Anai for conducting this interview!  We could not do this important work without our tree-carers, volunteers, and donors. Thank you all! 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)

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)