Kids Take Action (Valerie Foulkes)
“If you cut one tree, you plant 10!” This is the motto of the students at a middle school in the community of Monteflor in Oaxaca, Mexico, which I visited recently. Plant With Purpose has partnered with this school for several years and the students have taken their environmental education very seriously—even memorizing page numbers from their textbooks when citing important facts to our group of visitors.
In Oaxaca, the majority of peoples’ livelihoods are directly linked to the land. Unfortunately, due to desperation, communities will slowly destroy the environment for the sake of economic prosperity. Trees are assets and when cut down they can be made into charcoal to sell for easy cash.
The students at Escuela Telescundaria are aware of this problem. They recently conducted an economic survey of the 52 families with children attending the school. They found that 38 of the families earn money from selling charcoal. The students are trying to teach their families and communities that, “It is important to have economic activities that do not affect the ecosystem.” Instead of selling charcoal, the students use fallen pine needles to weave beautiful baskets to sell—a more sustainable use of trees.
The students also have their own tree nursery on the school property that they care for together. Recently, Plant With Purpose organized an activity where each child, along with their parents, planted a fruit tree around the perimeter of the school’s property. Each tree is named after the child who planted it.
From a young age, the middle school students in Monteflor, Oaxaca are becoming advocates for sustainable environmental practices. They told us, “Wherever there is a tree to plant, you plant it. Wherever there is a need, you meet it.” Monteflor’s future is in good hands!
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Over the past 32 years, Plant With Purpose —an international Christian organization—has planted 22 million trees around the world. Planting trees helps address the root causes of rural poverty and is an integral part of our holistic program that transforms the lives of the rural poor through environmental restoration, economic empowerment, and spiritual renewal. More than 34,000 farming families are currently mobilized to reforest their communities and revitalize their land. Continue their empowerment by becoming a Purpose Partner.
Valerie Foulkes is part of the outreach team at Plant With Purpose.
