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Friday, September 27th: Kijabe Environmental Seminar

Where there was 10 years ago a dusty, dry field of grasses - there now stands a veritable forest. The cool, green shade which protects these students is the result of the efforts of the community of Rift Valley Academy staff, students, and community.

On Friday, September 27th, 90 students gathered from three schools in the Maai Mahiu area (Karima Secondary, Maai Mahiu Secondary, and Longonot Secondary) to visit a plantation, black-water recycling, and plastic recycling initiative.

Rift Valley Academy Tree Plantation

The students were hosted by Rift Valley Academy director, Mark Buhler (left). The plantation in which the students stood is a 20-acre plantation, begun in the year 200 by Mark Buhler with the support of RVA staff. The plantation fulfills the need to both (a) plant trees in areas which have been deforested and (b) provide an alternative source of fuel for cooking.

The plantation is watered with 'black water' - a steady stream of waste water from the Kijabe Hospital. The water passes through a basic primary treatment - three settling ponds - and then is directed throughout the plantation. The Kijabe team have discovered that the black water filtration system in fact provides the trees with extra nutrients, allowing amazing tree growth. In only 7 years, many of the trees are 6 metres tall with a diameter of 6" or more.

The State of the Environment in Kenya

WHO should farm? And WHERE does your water come from? Students heard from Francis, a passionate representative of 'Care of Creation Kenya', an organisation promoting environmental initiatives in Kenya. He emphasized the importance of environmental responsibility both as farmers and as citizens of Kenyan society.

The environmental crisis in Kenya is unfolding before our eyes. Where our parents and grandparents found forested land in their backyards - now, women are walking for hours to collect firewood. Where 10 years ago, people feared to climb the hills behind Maai Mahiu for fear of wild buffalo, warthog, even leopards - now, dry bush and scrub cover the landscape.

In the past 20 years, more and more of the forests above Maai Mahiu have been depleted. Those hills are part of the Aberdares 'water tower', one of the five major water sources in Kenya. As a result of ongoing deforestation, only a few acres remain of what was once a vaste, green forest.

Recent research has shown that, if deforestation continues at the present rate, by the year 2030 the average Kenyan will have access to 1/3 of the total water which they now have available.

The Way Forward

Students from the three schools presented short skits, poems, and songs that they had composed on the theme of environment.

In each school, the students have established a tree nursery and seed bed - 1400 tree seedlings per nursery. See here for more details.

In addition, each school will be given a steel drum, which will function as a basic grey-water settling tank.

Students at Karima, Maai Mahiu, and Longonot Secondary will continue to promote conservation and protection of the environment - what will you do?

For more information about environmental initiatives in the Maai Mahiu area, click here.

For a high-resolution version of the above image, right click and choose 'save link as':
Grouphighres.jpg

URAFIKI LINK
	Bodwell High School Maai Mahiu Secondary Longonot Secondary Karima Secondary
	Friday, September 27th: Kijabe Environmental Seminar Where there was 10 years ago a dusty, dry field of grasses - there now stands a veritable forest. The cool, green shade which protects these students is the result of the efforts of the community of Rift Valley Academy staff, students, and community. On Friday, September 27th, 90 students gathered from three schools in the Maai Mahiu area (Karima Secondary, Maai Mahiu Secondary, and Longonot Secondary) to visit a plantation, black-water recycling, and plastic recycling initiative. Rift Valley Academy Tree Plantation The students were hosted by Rift Valley Academy director, Mark Buhler (left). The plantation in which the students stood is a 20-acre plantation, begun in the year 200 by Mark Buhler with the support of RVA staff. The plantation fulfills the need to both (a) plant trees in areas which have been deforested and (b) provide an alternative source of fuel for cooking. The plantation is watered with 'black water' - a steady stream of waste water from the Kijabe Hospital. The water passes through a basic primary treatment - three settling ponds - and then is directed throughout the plantation. The Kijabe team have discovered that the black water filtration system in fact provides the trees with extra nutrients, allowing amazing tree growth. In only 7 years, many of the trees are 6 metres tall with a diameter of 6" or more. The State of the Environment in Kenya WHO should farm? And WHERE does your water come from? Students heard from Francis, a passionate representative of 'Care of Creation Kenya', an organisation promoting environmental initiatives in Kenya. He emphasized the importance of environmental responsibility both as farmers and as citizens of Kenyan society. The environmental crisis in Kenya is unfolding before our eyes. Where our parents and grandparents found forested land in their backyards - now, women are walking for hours to collect firewood. Where 10 years ago, people feared to climb the hills behind Maai Mahiu for fear of wild buffalo, warthog, even leopards - now, dry bush and scrub cover the landscape. In the past 20 years, more and more of the forests above Maai Mahiu have been depleted. Those hills are part of the Aberdares 'water tower', one of the five major water sources in Kenya. As a result of ongoing deforestation, only a few acres remain of what was once a vaste, green forest. Recent research has shown that, if deforestation continues at the present rate, by the year 2030 the average Kenyan will have access to 1/3 of the total water which they now have available. The Way Forward Students from the three schools presented short skits, poems, and songs that they had composed on the theme of environment. In each school, the students have established a tree nursery and seed bed - 1400 tree seedlings per nursery. See here for more details. In addition, each school will be given a steel drum, which will function as a basic grey-water settling tank. Students at Karima, Maai Mahiu, and Longonot Secondary will continue to promote conservation and protection of the environment - what will you do? For more information about environmental initiatives in the Maai Mahiu area, click here. For a high-resolution version of the above image, right click and choose 'save link as': Grouphighres.jpg
	Urafiki Link: Urafiki Means Friendship urafikilink-at-gmail.com, Contact: Mali Bain, 011-254-710292047 Maai Mahiu, Naivasha District, Rift Valley Province, Kenya Bodwell High School, +1-604-924-5056 North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada