Trees for Peace

A Renewed Push to Bring Back Our Forest

Even more than before, the One Million Trees for Peace Project is committed to restoring our lost forest in Africa. With our renewed commitment to forest regeneration, we are bringing back some indigenous tree species like Opepe, Omar, and White Afara. We are continuing to provide jobs for the less privileged people in Africa while also sustaining the African forest biodiversity. Without the support of the Bauknecht Foundation Germany, our Association Bernadette Strebel World Peace, and our GlobalGiving Partners couldn’t do this. We hereby send our deep-hearted thanks and appreciation to our loving partners.

16.5 Hectares of Deforested Land Planted

We are pleased to inform our donors that the 16.5 hectares of deforested land, which we reported as prepared in our last edition, have now been planted. Both indigenous and exotic tree species were used.

A renewed care for planted trees

In any forest regeneration project, weeding is the most challenging and cost-intensive operation. From August to September 2024, the 16.5 hectares of land planted in June and July were ring-weeded and subsequently weeded. This was a difficult operation as the workers had to work in the rain. Additionally, the 5.5 hectares of forest planted in 2023 were also weeded. These efforts are crucial to protect the young forest trees from competition for soil nutrients with weeds and climbers, as well as being eaten by rodents or grasscutters.

Beat-up operations 

We are pleased to report that some of the baby trees planted in June and July that did not survive could be replanted. After weeding, our forest supervisors carried out a forest inventory to identify dead trees, and those found dead were replaced. This is an ongoing process. Moreover, seedlings that were planted in other areas in 2022 and 2023 but did not survive, were replaced as well. To complete this work, we need an additional $3000 for seedlings and wages. We kindly ask for your continued support.

Worker’s welfare

Worker’s welfare is taken seriously by the Board of Association Bernadette Strebel World Peace. Even though, some workers sustained injuries during forest operations. The workers were treated, and they are fully back to work.

As part of our commitment to workers’ welfare, we are passionately asking for your support to build huts in the forest for our workers. These huts will provide temporary shelter for the workers during rain. Workers resume to forestry work by 8 am daily, and with the help of huts, preparing meals like roasted plantain, yam, or cooked rice, beans, and other edibles would be possible. 

The cost of this is estimated to be $7000. If funds are available, we intend to sink a borehole for water and install a small solar light, allowing the worker to charge their mobile phone and mini radio. 
This will go a long way in motivating them, as they love to enjoy more time in the forest. It will also help to reduce the cost of fuel and the usage of the worker's project vehicle. 

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Larger projects require greater support. In 2024 our initial budget aimed to regenerate less than 5 hectares, but due to our dedication to restoring the forest, the workers successfully prepared 16.5 hectares. This area also has been planted. We need more support to pay for these workers for the maintenance operations and replanting of trees that didn’t survive. Your contributions will help us pay the workers’ wages, allowing them to support their families and pay their children's school fees.

Finally, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Christian Gut for his generous donation of trees in commemoration of his dear mother’s transition to the LIGHT. We also thank the Association of Bernadette Strebel World Peace for approving funds that enabled us to pay for the restoration of the Project Manager's official Toyota Hilux.

If you are interested in Joining our team you can contact Laura Schirlo at laura@bsworldpeace.org

• Project Report with pictures (DOCX)