By Mary McCarthy | Project Development Officer
The Sadhana Forest Kenya team continues to reach communities ever farther from its home base. Training and planting efforts are now regular multi-day excursions with the mobile reforestation truck and we are humbled to be welcomed into more distant communities with so much enthusiasm. These projects are in addition to the continual upkeep of the Sadhana Forest land and nearby project sites.
We are very thankfully anticipating the end of the long and devastating drought. We have had some recent rains and, as the El Niño weather system is arriving earlier than predicted, we expect that there is finally more rain on the way. The drought was tough for the trees over the last few years, but with the recent rain there has been an abundance of new growth. Seeing this recuperation has restored hope in the people. We will be sure to catch every drop of water where it lands and use it to the maximum for the benefit of people and plants!
Moringa stenopetala has continued to impress us with its resiliency. Over the last few years of drought, the moringa trees we planted remained healthy and green; almost seeming to thrive through the harsh times. While their optimal conditions for growth (i.e. rainfall, temperature, altitude) have a fairly broad range, their “tolerable” conditions are even broader. Moringa leaves have a high concentration of protein, vitamin C, iron and other essential nutrients necessary for iron metabolism and they’ve been shown to improve the health of children. With their plentiful bushy branches, fragrant flowers, resistance to pests and potential height of 6-12 metres they are a perfect choice to incorporate as the canopy layer in a multi-storeyed food forest. In addition to these well-studied facts it is our lived experience observing the moringa trees that truly shows what an ideal and adaptable species it is for this region and changing climate.
Thank you to all of our supporters! 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)
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