MAASAI COMMUNITY CARBON TREES AFRICA

We have just sent more money to our collaborating partners in Kenya to plant more trees and continue to maintain trees planted since 2018.  Our leader in Kenya Dalmas has healed from Covid and is strong and actively engaging in helping us to move forward with planting more trees with the Massai community in Enkutoto Nahalala.

The trees we planted since November 2018 are growing well, although much slower than the trees we plant in Costa Rica. This is due to differing conditions, less rain and pasture animals trampling many trees. Success is  all about consistent follow up and commitment with fair pay. 

Now that rains are falling in Kenya, thank goodness, we will be planting approximately 150 diverse fruit trees with specific families who will be paid to water them during drought months and make sure they are protected from grazing animals. Shifting our focus to individual accountable family management should improve our survival rtates here in these extremely tough condtions. 

We remain hopeful to return to Kenya, the village of Enkutoto Nahala to reunite with our Maasai Tree friends. Meanwhile, it is dry season there, and the land is parched and thirsty. So are the trees we have already planting. Therefore, on the advice of our local leader, we are modifying our planting style to work directly with more individual families within the space around and close to  their homes so that the women can water the trees during the drought periods.

We always knew this particular replication to Kenya would require us to be flexible and respond to both the local culture and the changing climate. Given that many families want avocado and mango and morgina trees, plus other fruit bearing trees for family consumption, we believe this adaptation best responds to current needs and limitations in funding. Until we have enough funds to go big in a large area, we want to address local food supplies and the need of families for some extra income. And the extra attention for the trees by families will insure they survive and thrive together in an interdependent way.

We remain committed to this project having laid the groundwork for good communication and cooperation. We appreciate our local leader Dalmas, who is tireless and dependable. We hope to be planting more trees this April during the long rains. Using this new modified planting style will be critical for continued community motivation and participation. We are glad to be able to forward funds and depend on Dalmas for good reporting and distribution and adminsitration, Team work is the Dream work.