(Photos: Children at Teule Kenya plant fruit trees as part of a Canadian environmental education project.)
VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA – September 8, 2014 – The ChariTree Foundation is honoured to partner with the orphanage Teule Kenya again in an effort to give even more children an opportunity to plant fruit trees and learn about environmental stewardship
Jon T. High was the 2011 recipient of the Love Trees Leadership Award of Merit for his project planting 100 fruit trees in honour of Nobel Laureate, Wangari Mathai. The ChariTree Foundation sponsored the planting of fruit trees on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro – an area that has suffered considerable deforestation. Orphans and vulnerable children supported by Teule Kenya’s environmental education program planted mango, papaya, guava, mulberry, loquat, passion fruit, grape, banana, apple, lemon and orange trees. Jon recently took photos to show how much the trees have grown over the last two and a half years, despite dry conditions in the region.
In developing countries, trees can alleviate hunger, foster self-sufficiency, provide natural disaster tree relief, combat global warming and improve nearby soil, air and water. Truly trees of life!
”There’s something so hopeful about planting trees with kids,” said Andrea Koehle Jones, environmental education advocate and founder of The ChariTree Foundation. “Kids are the future stewards of the environment. They’re concerned about the state of the planet and eager to help. I’ve seen the magic that happens when you give a child a tree – let’s give as many children as we can a local tree to plant.”
“We look forward to seeing what your donation can do in these children’s lives and in the environment and much more – how we are all interrelated,” High said. “I cant wait to teach our kids more responsibility of them taking care of their environment by planting trees.”
The 2014 The ChariTree Foundation’s Love Trees project will be part of the children’s garden on Teule land in Loitokitok, Kenya. “I am so happy that the children will have fruit trees in their garden,” said Koehle Jones. “I hope the trees will provide lots of fruit for the children as well as a sense of confidence that they have the power to make their world a better place.”
Love Trees manages a global children’s educational tree planting program. Since 2006, The ChariTree Foundation has given thousands of trees to school children around the world, empowering them by also providing them with the tools and skills to be active stewards of the environment.
Teule Kenya, meaning “Chosen one ,” helps orphaned and vulnerable children by providing them with love, shelter, proper nourishment, education healthcare and guidance. Increasingly Teule Kenya is dealing with children orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS and Maasai girls rescued from FGM and early marriage.