A pupil a tree

Project: A Pupil, A Tree
Project ID: 64838
Organization: ONG ASRAD – Appui Solidaire pour le Renforcement de l’Aide au Développement
Country: Mali
Reporting Date: August 2026

Project Update: Mobilizing Resources to Turn Environmental Education into Action

ONG ASRAD remains fully committed to implementing the “A Pupil, A Tree” project, an initiative designed to engage schoolchildren, teachers, schools, families, and local communities in tree planting, environmental education, and climate action in Mali.

The project is based on a simple but powerful idea: each participating pupil plants and helps care for a tree. Through this approach, we aim not only to increase tree cover but also to build environmental responsibility among children and young people from an early age.

During this reporting period, ASRAD has continued its efforts in project preparation, partnership development, community engagement, and resource mobilization. However, sufficient financial resources have not yet been secured to implement the project at the planned scale.

Why Funding Is Still Needed

The project requires financial and technical support for the production and purchase of seedlings, school and community mobilization, transportation, planting equipment, environmental education materials, technical supervision, water and tree maintenance, and monitoring of tree survival.

For ASRAD, the objective is not simply to plant trees. Tree survival is the priority.

Pupils, teachers, parents, and communities will therefore be encouraged to take responsibility for protecting and maintaining the trees after planting. This will help transform each participating school into a place for practical environmental learning and local climate action.

Why “A Pupil, A Tree” Matters

Mali and the wider Sahel face serious environmental challenges, including desertification, land degradation, drought, loss of vegetation, extreme heat, and the increasing impacts of climate change.

Children and young people will live with the long-term consequences of these challenges. They should therefore also be empowered to become part of the solution.

Through “A Pupil, A Tree,” ASRAD seeks to connect education with practical environmental action. A tree planted and cared for by a pupil can become a living educational tool and a symbol of responsibility toward future generations.

Current Challenge: Mobilizing Financial Support

Our main challenge remains securing sufficient funding to launch and expand project activities.

ASRAD continues to seek support from donors, foundations, companies, institutions, international partners, and individual contributors.

Funding received through GlobalGiving will help us move from preparation to concrete implementation in participating schools and communities.

Next Steps

Subject to the availability of funding, ASRAD plans to:

• Mobilize participating schools, pupils, teachers, parents, and local communities;
• Identify appropriate tree species and planting locations;
• Acquire and distribute seedlings;
• Provide environmental education and practical tree-planting sessions;
• Equip participating schools and volunteers with basic planting and maintenance materials;
• Encourage each pupil to participate in caring for their tree;
• Establish mechanisms for watering, protection, and maintenance;
• Monitor tree survival and replace seedlings where necessary;
• Document results and share lessons with partners and supporters.

A Message to Our GlobalGiving Supporters

We sincerely thank the GlobalGiving community and everyone who has shown interest in “A Pupil, A Tree.”

At this stage, additional financial support is essential to enable us to move forward with implementation and reach more pupils and schools.

Every contribution can help provide seedlings, environmental education, planting materials, and follow-up support.

One pupil. One tree. One commitment to the future.

With your support, we can empower a new generation of young environmental leaders while contributing to greener schools, healthier communities, and greater climate resilience in Mali.

Thank you for helping us turn this vision into action.

ONG ASRAD
Appui Solidaire pour le Renforcement de l’Aide au Développement
Mali