This project kicked off round the 4th of July 2022. It involved a lot of sensitization of land owners to appreciate the importance of allowing Rwenzori Founders (RF) to plant indigenous trees on their land, for them. RF with support from Films for Change directors, pledged to take care of the trees on behalf of the land owners for a period of 6 months. This agreement involved purchase of the tree species, planting, caging, watering and weeding the trees until the tree would be handed over to the landowners after this period.
The endeavour is to “make” rain for the community through planting trees, encourage the community to get involved in tree planting, sensitize the community about deforestation and global warming and encourage the community to join the rewilding effort of RF in a bid to improve the biodiversity of the area.
The trees were sourced from tree nurseries in the region like Tooro botanical garden (TBG), Nawid tree nursery and various nurseries in Kasese town.
Rwenzori Founders were able to plant up to 1100 indigenous tree species in the community of Kyemihoko of which more than 50 households received two or more fruit trees and a shade tree.
Rwenzori Founders planted on the Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation land up to 150 assorted indigenous tree species. 100 were donated outside the community in the valley towards Kasese.
Up to 18 members of the community were employed in this tree planting project.
Due to the high rainfall that we have been receiving, the trees are doing very well with most of the fast growing species already reaching four feet in height and a few of the slow growing reaching about 2 feet of height.
There have been a few cases of trees not doing well especially on the RF hill where most of the red acacia were destroyed by pests and others suffered from the infertility and rocky nature of the land. Also a number of the trees in the community that were along the flood path were washed away by the recent floods and some at the river struggle from too much water but may survive.
Challenges - We have not had many challenges but just a few. For instance, we have members of the community who uproot the cages that we constructed to protect the trees leaving them bare and prone to destruction by animals.
We anticipate that by the end of December all the tree cages will have been harvested for firewood by members of the community.
Most of the trees are in dire need of weeding as lately we have had too much rain which also quickened the growth of weeds - this was weeded in due course for ownership of the trees to be handed over to the landowners.
A few land owners refused access to the tree planters, they say the tree planters were trampling on their plants, and in cases like that, monitoring progress of the trees has been difficult
Some of the trees were planted in hard to reach places for example at the hilltop which made it more expensive than expected.
Conclusion.
The Rain makers’ project came at a timely period when Rwenzori Founders needed to extend the tree planting into the community. Many of the community members directly benefited from the jobs that came with the project which improved the livelihood in the village.
The project has encouraged members of the community to participate in tree planting for its enormous benefits.
It has also illustrated to the community that they can inspire the world and pioneer an attempt to save the Rwenzori Mountain.
In addition to paying planers, we always enjoy community sensitisation meetings when we are able to give back a little more.
Our title image shows the villagers gathering for pruning and lemon/fruit harvest. Everyone was able to have some of the harvest and take pruned wood for firewood.
All of which strengthens our relations with community who have participated in our project from the start.