WESM ICS volunteers have been continuing with their environmental awareness and recently attended and contributed to a tree planting event at Monjo Primary School in the area of Namata under Traditional Authority Kaduya in the Phalombe District.
ICS volunteers, in conjunction with some of the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust employees assisted at the event because Monjo Primary School is often badly affected by heavy winds almost every year.
The whole event was organized by a local youth group, ‘Mithungu’. They thought a tree planting exercise would be beneficial due to the recent, heavy rains which caused the devastating flooding that affected so much of Malawi’s Southern region.
The awareness campaign attracted three surrounding villages namely Mlelemba, Nyalugwe and Namata. All of the respective chiefs were present at the occasion.
Also present was the Primary school Education Advisor for the district, the headmaster of the school, teachers, members of the youth club, students and community members. In total 1029 people attended the event (620 male and 409 female) so the outreach was somewhat significant.
Alana Turnbull, the UK Team Leader gave a well received speech to the crowd on why people need to plant trees and take care of them saying that “if we take care of trees, they will also take care of us.”
Group village headman, Chief Namata said: “I am very happy that all three surrounding villages have come to be involved. This event has never happened in this area before; it is the first time to have this type of occasion which tells people about conserving the environment to prevent future natural disasters”.
Youth Director for Mithungu Youth Organization, Kelton Somanje thanked MMCT and the volunteers for a job well done saying the trees will help the community in many ways: “The winds destroy this area almost every year because of the hill which is near the community called Nansolola and we urge you people to come back with more trees and plant them around the hill so they would act as wind breakers”.
In total, 314 trees were planted on the campaign day.
By Jessica Lameck
