Gambibgo Ghana Project with support from funding donors makes tree planting a success in Kandiga community

Trees contribute to the overall well-being of humans. They improve mental health by providing a calming and aesthetically pleasing environment. Research has shown that spending time in nature, surrounded by trees, can reduce stress, anxiety, and improve overall mood. In urban areas, tree planting can help mitigate the effects of heat islands caused by concrete and asphalt, thereby improving air quality and reducing heat-related illnesses.

Trees provide many economic advantages. They increase property values, enhance the attractiveness of neighborhoods, and attract businesses and tourists. Moreover, trees also play a role in reducing energy costs by providing shade in cities and reducing heating/cooling needs. In rural areas, tree planting can create jobs in the forestry industry and provide a sustainable source of income.

Trees play a crucial role in conserving natural resources. They help in preventing soil erosion by stabilizing the soil with their roots. Trees also act as natural water filters by capturing and absorbing pollutants before they reach water bodies. Moreover, they contribute to the preservation of wildlife habitats and support the overall ecological balance, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the planet.

When it comes to community benefits, tree-planting initiatives promote community engagement and create a sense of pride and ownership in neighborhoods. Planting trees together fosters a sense of unity and collaboration among community members. Additionally, urban greening projects provide recreational spaces for communities, promoting physical activity and social interaction.

The above reasons motivated the Gambibgo Chief, Sadik Ayine Inusah who doubles as the Chief Executive of Gambibgo Ghana Project to start a tree planting project in 2004 in his community Gambibgo a community in the Bolgatanga East District in the Upper East Region.
As a known non-governmental Community base Organization that is into irrigation, afforestation, and empowerment of men and women who want to do things for themselves. 11 years ago, the Ghana project extended its tree planting to the Kandiga community in the Kesena Nankana East.

Addressing the media after visiting some of the plantation sites, the Chief Executive Gambibgo Ghana Project. “Our aim is to try to fight the climate change of the world. Gambibgo Ghana Project tries to plant 200 trees yearly. But noticed that trees and not just plants and eaten by animals. So, we have taken it into growing trees, where we see that there is a need to have fencing around it, provide water, tricycle and some other tools”

According to the Chief Executive, “Some of the people still have the wrong cultural belief or perception that when one plants a tree and it grows and starts bearing fruits, the one who plants the tree dies. The perception is making them not to plant trees. So we came in the element called ‘TRAINING’ to build their capacity in terms of knowledge to understand is wrong a perception”.

However, he expressed satisfaction with the current interest shown by the young Kandiga people.

“So now, young people are taking it up and they are interested in planting trees, what we do is to provide them with the needed support in terms of logistics. We also encourage them by providing most of the center a motoking to enable them to go a little distance to bring water from the dam. Where we think, there is a nearby water source, we don’t provide them with motoking, where we think we can provide a borehole instead of motoking we provide a borehole”. He said

The Chief Executive, also announced that have planted their 11th plantation center and even added a new module that has to do with electric fencing. “Is a new module that we need to also use solar light to protect our trees and others can use it for their vegetable garden, we are doing the training at Gambibgo Community Senior High School and very soon the 25 young men we chose in the Upper East Region will be awarded a certificate when they completed” He revealed

However, a short handover ceremony organized by the Gambibgo Ghana Project offered the people of Atiyorum community in Kandiga a brand new motoking that will assist them in fetching water from afar to their tree plantation centre. Aside the motoking, a new borehole was drilled for the community to aid them in their activity.

The Chief and the people of Atiyorum community didn’t hide their excitement as they extends their gratitude to the donors for funding what they described as a wonderful initiative.

The plantation project was supported and funded by WELDE GANZEN FOUNDATION, FRIENDS OF CHRISTOPHER AND WEST AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE (WACSI)