Planting 15000 trees in Madagascar

During the visit of the Minister of Health to our villages in July, personally handed out awards for individual reforestation successes. This important ceremony has reinvigorated great community interest in our tree planting efforts.  Distributing these awards, made everybody see and believe that Zahana really meant awarding reforestation efforts, and sparked a sense of healthy competition.  Zahana stated from the beginning that we will give awards in the first, second and the third year for most of the trees planted that actually take root and survive. Now the planting of tree seedlings can continue.

To take stock of our success so far, we have asked our two gardeners Bari and Jean to please reports back about the number of trees planted. Here are their numbers (as of October 14, 2013):

Planting trees Fiadanana:

2011-2012: 3,317
2012-2013: 3,278

Total= 6,595

Reforestation objective for this 2013 season: at least 6,595 trees

Planting trees in Fiarenana, the village where our master gardener Jean lives:

2009-2010: 2,629
2010-2011: 2,129
2011-2012: 6,092
2012-2013: 2,553

Total = 13,403

Reforestation objective for this 2013 season: 10,600

We wanted to thank all of you for the support of our reforestation project, especially during Earth Day. We were told by our friends in Madagascar to wait for a very special announcement relating to the tree plating that kept us wondering…

But it is a special announcement indeed: The Minister of Health of Madagascar has visited our Zahana project sites in early July and gave out the awards!

In July 2013 the Minister of Health she attended the groundbreaking of the new Healthcare Center in the village of Fiadanana and laid the first stones of its foundation. (More about the ministry is it can be found on our website.)

She took the time and honored our reforestation efforts by giving awards to the first 3 people who most successfully planted trees. It is difficult to put into words what it means for a villager, what is the whole days walk from the next town, to receive an award certificate from the hand of the Minister of Health.

She also acknowledged the work of the teachers and our gardeners with awards. 

A few weeks later, our villages that are still buzzing with excitement about such her visit.

In Fiarenana the community identified Bary, Zahana’s gardener, as the person who planted the most trees. He single handedly planted over 800 trees so far! (Photo)

The students of our school in Faidanana won second place for planting the most trees.  They planted a small forest on the slope behind their school with the guidance of Zahana’s gardener Bary. The students together planted (and watered!) the second largest amount of trees and well deserve this award and the recognition that comes with it. The community decided that their efforts as a group should be recognized. The man in the photo is representing the parents and accepted the reward for the school from the Minister of Health. (See Photo)

Maprany, Zahana’s head teacher, was the third in planting the most trees. (see Photo)

After breakfast in the village the visiting party went to Zahana’s second village Fiarenana. In Fiarenana the guest from far away were received by the entire community. The Minister of Health gave a speech. And she gave awards for the people planted the most trees. (See photo)

Maurice, the man who planted the most trees in Fiarenana got the award first. As you can see in the photos, solar cookers are part of the awards for the people who planted the most trees.(See photo)

The second person honored was Daniel.(See photo)

Followed by the third-place, which was awarded to the only woman in the group. (But it is important to point out that there are as many girls in school as there are boys). (See photo)

She also gave towards to Zahana’s teachers and gardener and to the women of the women’s soccer clubs.

Ihanta and Markus

Links:

• The visit of the honorable Madame Minister of Health