Awareness Raising

Tree is Life’s interventions have led to enhanced awareness of environmental issues amongst members of the public.  Campaigns have been done through local and national newspapers, radio broadcasts, tree planting days, environmental music and environmental mural paintings. Mural paintings are pieces of artwork done on public buildings in strategic places advocating for the participation of all in efforts to improve the state of our environment. They have proofed very effective tools in creating environmental awareness, because even those people of low literacy can get the message of the paintings from looking at them.

Community empowerment
Tree is Life has endeavoured to empower target communities on the need to conserve forest biodiversity for the benefit of current and future generations. Emphasis has been laid on training and encouraging people to particularly plants trees that exceed by far those being cut. Self Help Groups have been trained on sustainable Agriculture and other income generating activities (IGAs) to support livelihood have been conducted. Tree is Life has also been offering micro grants to support IGAs and activities that enhance natural resources management in a special small-grants programme. Projects supported include fruit growing, bee keeping, fish farming and establishment of environmental resource centers.

Environmental Education
The school programme has grown from strength to strength. The environmental clubs under go tailor-made training on tree nursery management practices. Tree parties are annual competitions for the most active clubs in nursery work, where they present poems, songs and dances with an environmental theme. Neighboring schools and communities are also invited to these occasions to share knowledge and experiences on how best to manage natural resources. Other activities include publishing newsletters and indoor environmental games with environmental conservation messages.

Forest Conservation
Tree is Life has been in the forefront in promoting forest protection and conservation in the target area. The organization is involved in mobilization, training and offering other support services to forest communities to form forest associations. Currently communities around five forests have been organized into groups that are now taking a leading role in ensuring sustainable management of the respective forests. These groups are now actively involved in conservation activities in the respective forests including monitoring and reporting cases of destruction to Kenya Forest Service and other law enforcement agencies. For Rumuruti, Ndaragwa and shemanek forests, the groups have since been registered as forest associations. One forest, Rumuruti, has a management plan. The process of developing management plans for the others is going.

Funding received from various donors has been used to implement activities such as bee keeping, replanting of degraded parts and establishment of a community scouts monitoring programme in Rumuruti between 2005 - 2007.  Tree is Life facilitated the development of an integrated project for the five forests that is being funded by Community Development Trust Fund through its Community Environment Facility between 2007 - 2010. The project will be implemented by a project implementation committee drawn from district representatives of the Kenya forest service and the five forests associations and other partners.

Owing to its success, Tree is Life has been feted thrice in the category of local NGO’s for its efforts in enhancing tree planting initiatives amongst communities by Total eco-challenge in 2005,2006 and 2007 with Gold and  two silvers respectively. The Eco-challenge is an inspiration award ,an initiative of Total Kenya Limited that aims at planting 100,000,000 trees per year through individuals, organizations and institutions across Kenya. It is a network of Tree Ambassadors of Kenya.