Plant 40,000 Trees In iraq

Wael, the Bothoor Alkhae driver, met Shifa (another Bothoor Alkhaetrainee from Diyala) and me at the office around 9:00 a.m. We headed to the Muqdadiyah district's large children's school to collect seedlings from a fruit and vegetable nursery in Baqubah Municipality, which had provided the trees.

These are the trees planted by Bothoor Alkhae in collaboration with farmers and schools. The trees included various organic varieties, including olives, almonds, and figs.

Then we visited the first school—Al-Taqwa Al-Dhahab Primary School—in Muqdadiyah Municipality. The goal was to teach students the benefits of trees and to plant together.

The school was a place of integration and coexistence. It was more beautiful and cheerful than the schools I knew in Muqdadiyah. Colors were everywhere.

When Shifa Rasmi, the trip leader and Seeds of Goodness tree supervisor at the school, planted the first tree with the children, everyone participated enthusiastically.

The entire school stood in a circle around the tree. Shifa Rasmi explained the elements necessary for successful planting: oxygen, water, and sunlight. He also explained the impact of trees on the surrounding environment.

At first, I thought this might be difficult for children of this age to understand, but once a heated discussion began about who would plant the next tree, I realized that Rasha Mohammed L. could have a real impact on how children perceive trees and nature.

In total, four trees were planted at this school, and they will survive as the school develops over the years. One of the most delightful sights we encountered at this location was how the Bothoor Alkhae water transformed the surrounding area into vast green spaces.

Across these verdant fields, we continued our journey to Al-Muqdadiyah Elementary School, another elementary school in the same area, where we were invited for lunch.

The remaining trees had to be planted in the car, and once again, Shafa Rasmi, under the bright sun, gave a speech to about 30 attentive students.

The trip was clearly worth it if the message Bothoor Alkhae had sparked a spark in one of the children's hearts. We saw the children divided into six equal groups to plant the remaining trees.

As we made our way back to Baqubah later that evening, we all felt that we might have left a mark on the places we visited and inspired people to plant trees for their own good in the future.

The climate crisis is one of the most urgent challenges of our generation. Climate change and environmental crises can multiply the risks of existing and new conflicts. In order to address this, it is essential to recognize the links between conflict and climate change and develop pathways for conflict transformation. In numerous domains wherein the BAORD Foundation operates, climate change has been determined as a contributing factor in exacerbating divisions, perpetuating marginalization, and rendering conflict resolution increasingly arduous. This has been particularly evident in Iraq, where scarce resources such as water and arable land, coupled with weak governance systems, worsen the effects of climate change. In our efforts to support communities in transforming and preventing violent conflicts in which climate change plays a dominate role, it is key to focus on improving the social capital of affected communities. This entails investing in fostering relationships among individuals and networks based on reciprocity and trust. through this, communities can be effectively assisted to address the challenges posed by climate change.

Our organization has implemented several tree planting initiatives, planting more than 1,000 trees, raising awareness among more than 1,500 young people about the harms of climate change and urging the community on how to prevent it.