By Markus Faigle | Volunteer Project Director
In conjunction with the 10-year celebration, Zahana gave out rewards for individual reforestation successes. This time the award was for the most trees planted by an individual that survived the last 3 years.
Yes, it has indeed been 10 years since Zahana built the school and the clean water system in the village of Fiarenana. The fact alone that our communal water system, built by and with the community is still working well and running, is cause for celebration. (See Participatory Development Explained on our website).
The idea behind reforestation rewards:
Over the years Zahana emphasized that not the mere number of trees planted, but the number of trees that literally took root, survived and are growing, is what really counts in successful reforestation. Everybody who has ever even attempted to garden, knows all to well that seeds or even seedlings in the ground does not automatically mean a successful plant or harvest. For us the proof is not in the pudding, but in the photos you can see in our reforestation project reports over the years.
Being acknowledged in public with a ceremony is a great honor for the villagers. This honor is independent from social standing or rank within the community and reflects a great personal achievement. The presence of a reporter from the local TV station in the closest town of Tsiroanomandidy (the one with the video camera in the photos) added gravitas to the award ceremony. The three most successful tree planters were awarded:
The First prize: A Solar cooker. Once again our master gardener Jean won this award
The Second prize: A rocket cook stove (highly efficient wood fired cooker) was awarded to a woman from the community.
The Third prize went to another man named “Bary” (a very common name in Madagascar)
All three finalists got basic necessities that are very valuable in the rural village: a new plastic bucket to carry water, a new plastic tub to wash clothes, a new plastic cup with handle to bail water, coffee, sugar, salt and soap.
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