Dignitaries give a thumbs up to the top 10 ‘tree-preneurs’ rewarded for growing trees to support their livelihoods. The KZN premiers office launched their ‘One Child, One Fruit Tree’ campaign this weekend as part of World Children’s Day celebrations near Empangeni. These were 10 of 450 youngsters who received fruit trees on the day.
Four hundred and fifty ‘tree-preneurs’ from in and around the Empangeni area this weekend received fruit trees as a reward for their (indigenous) tree-growing efforts. The rewards ceremony, held at Ntuze Sports Ground in the Umhlatuze Municipality, formed part of the launch of the Office of the Rights of the Child’s ‘One Child, One Fruit Tree’ campaign and World Children’s Day celebrations. The tree-growers, their families, and children from neighbouring schools celebrated with dignitaries from the municipality and partner NGO, the Wildlands Conservation Trust.
The recipients of the orange and naartjie trees form part of Wildlands’ Sustainable Communities initiative (previously known as Indigenous Trees for Life). These youngsters were the top performing growers in the region. Wildlands teaches the children to grow indigenous trees from seed and then when they reach a certain height the children can barter them back for goods: food, clothes, bicycles, building materials, water tanks and even school and university fees. The top ‘tree-preneur’ 14 year old Angeline Msane from kwaMbonambi has grown and traded 3412 trees in the last financial year adding up to an incredible R22 865 worth of goods received. The children do not receive cash for their trees to ensure they are not made vulnerable.
Ms Dorothy Skhosana, Keynote speaker and Chairperson of theQuality of Life Standing Committee, Office of the Premier, with the top two tree growers, Thembisile Msane (left) and Angeline Msane (right) after a reward ceremony at World Children’s Day celebrations in Empangeni this weekend. 450 ‘tree-preneurs’ received fruit trees on the day.
The keynote speaker Ms Dorothy Skhosana, Chairperson of the Quality of Life Standing Committee praised the initiative for addressing so many levels of need: “Beyond the trees, we need to make sure that no child goes without food and I think this project [Sustainable Communities] gives them something useful they can contribute to the community”. Many of the trees grown by the tree-preneurs are used to green their communities or used in reforestation projects such as at the Ongoye Forest which flanks another of the active communities, Mzimela. The nearby Dube and eSikhawini communities are also involved in the project.
Dr Venter, CEO of the Wildlands Conservation Trust spoke directly to the tree-preneurs in the crowd and said: “You are going to be the leaders of tomorrow, our green leaders” and urged them to keep making the difference in their own lives. He also thanked donors Old Mutual, Richards Bay Coal Terminal, Richards Bay Minerals and BHP Billiton for their ongoing support of the project in the area.
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust - IT No: 4329/1991/PMB)