Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/wonder-newsletter/5019703/
Our beautiful, but fragile environment by Caroline HudicourtForty schools with a total of 8,000 students have become an oasis in Gros Morne, northwest of Haiti’s Artibonite Valley, as they contribute to the reforestation of the area. They have bought land �" at least a half acre per school �" that they cover with trees to later exploit for the benefit of the school. The children participate to the reforestation of the community, build a source of revenue for their school, and shape their identities as responsible citizens. Sometimes children walk as much as 5 to 6 hours back and forth to get trees to reforest their school’s property.
The project, that we call “friends of trees,” started in 2000 with a group of children ranging in age from 4 to 15 years. With a mentor, they learn to prepare nurseries, compost, and plant and water the trees. The children’s excitement for reforesting led Gaston Jean, who initiated the reforestation endeavor, to involve a network of schools in the activity; the network
now includes 40 schools.
Since 1992, Gaston has been part of a community organization committed to make the Green School Reforestation Project work. He says, “This project helps the children ...