BEND THE TREE WHILE IT’S YOUNG

Green Awareness Africa (GAWA) is planting the seeds for the growth of a Namibian generation in touch with all things green, including awareness and implementation of sustainable living practices and the importance of nurturing their surrounding biological environment.

Over the past two months, GAWA has worked closely with the Ministry of Education and schools within the Windhoek area on achieving a long-term goal of instigating an ongoing sustainable living educational platform.
According to GAWA liaison officer Rochelle Majiedt, it is key to provide the younger generation of Namibians with ongoing environmental education, and this sustainable educational platform should become an integral part of education in coming years.

As part of the first initiative in achieving this goal, GAWA, through their recently launched “Trees for Life School Campaign”, has gathered support from Namibian businesses and individuals to provide each Windhoek school with up to 10 trees, which are being planted at the schools during October, November and December.

GAWA is targeting young learners because they know that it bears fruit to “bend the tree while it’s young”. So far, GAWA has garnered sufficient sponsorship to provide 19 schools with trees, plus compost and fertiliser. Students are encouraged to become directly involved with the planting process, and they will take on the responsibility for the continued nurturing and maintenance of the trees. The indigenous trees planted so far include Faidherbia albida, Olea Africana and Wild Olive. One of the reasons behind targeting schools, according to Majiedt, is “To provide a gateway for us to reach young Namibians early enough to educate and encourage them to sustain and invest in their environment. The earlier on we get into the habit of engaging in environmentally-friendly behaviour, the better.”

The sponsors of the trees for the pilot project include the Diamond Trading Company in London, the GO Campaign of the USA, the Namibian Diamond Trading Company, Retief Sales Promotions, Africa Aluminium Structural Systems cc, Windhoek Country Club Resort and Casino and Jobs Unlimited. These companies have all come on board with the project over the last week or so, which brings the total number of local sponsors to five companies. During the pilot project phase, Wilde Eend Nursery, as the technical experts of the project, refined logistical elements of the project such as ensuring that the correct tree types are planted according to size of the schools, access to water, soil type and location. Majiedt said this week that “The idea for tree planting was borne from a desire to put back into the environment what we have been so carelessly depleting over the years.”

In addition, GAWA hopes to inspire and encourage “more education on trees, horticulture” and other relevant environmental topics. As part of GAWA’s overarching goals, GAWA is striving to create awareness amongst Namibians – not only about the environment, but also of the fact that education is a key tool with which to achieve a society that is aware of how essential it is to maintain and conserve biological resources such as trees.

“Trees can bring real, sustainable long-term returns to our environment by, for example, cleaning the air from carbon dioxide which we know helps to reduce global warming,” she said. Both green awareness and education are about sensitising people, young and old, on all issues concerning the environment, especially in regard to its depletion and conservation. GAWA is the first non-profit green organisation of its kind in Namibia. It was launched in November 2008 and through various campaigns GAWA is increasingly making a mark for green consciousness throughout the country.

The “Trees for Life School Campaign” requires active participation from members of the public, including sponsors, teachers and learners, thereby ensuring a learning-while-doing, interactive process. This interactive process is in line with GAWA’s mission to create, lead and grow the green movement in Namibia. GAWA is a group of people and citizens, companies and bodies, who together have taken a stand and acted upon making Namibia the cleanest and greenest country it can possibly be. Based on the solid foundation laid by a number of government agencies, GAWA’s long-term objective is to be an agent of change that works together with Namibian companies and to continually learn together – with the aim of developing ongoing green initiatives and climate change strategies.

While the green movement worldwide has taken on the air of urgency usually associated with an approaching tsunami – increasingly gaining attention on international political and social platforms – many Namibians still need to be exposed to projects and messages which highlight the importance of the environment and issues such as climate change. With the efforts and recognition of several Ministries and NGOs like GAWA, a trend is being developed which sees more and more people becoming aware of (and active in) the green movement.

There are numerous ways of contributing positively to the environment. Some of these include recycling and making use of alternative sources of energy. Moreover, as the campaign demonstrates, simple things like planting and protecting indigenous plants and trees, are important elements in this movement.
Majiedt, through her work with GAWA, said that there has been a noticeable increase of interest “amongst individuals and companies in green initiatives in the past year.”

She consented that the interest is not growing as rapidly “as we would have wished, but it is steadily getting there”. GAWA knows that it is “key that Namibians consistently engage in green initiatives and keep ourselves informed on our environment and ways in which we can preserve it”. Included in the initial list of 15 schools who are a part of the project so far, is the Michelle McLean School, Windhoek Afrikaans Primary School, DHPS, Orban, Windhoek Gymnasium, Delta Secondary School, Windhoek Technical High School, Waldorf School Windhoek, Suiderhof Primary School, St. Pauls Primary School, Holy Cross Convent, St. Georges School, Eros Primary School, Dagbreek and Elim Primary School.

If you are interested in sponsoring the Trees For Life School Campaign, contact GAWA today.

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