Reviving Earth, One Tree At A Time 🌲
Nov 5, 2023
Story
Seeking
Encouragement
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Georgina Lowole
Malawi
Apr 5
Joined Oct 26, 2023
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It was in March when I experienced flooding,back then we could hear and watch news on TV that a certain district has experienced flooding ..2023 is indeed a year to remember that actually I am one of the victims of cyclone Freddy that took many lives in our country Malawi, some of them were actually in areas that flooding would not take place ,people lost houses ,lives ,trees,.livstocks, businesses, and other things
Myself and My family we lost a house even though it was not ours we were renting ,it happened at night when we were all sleeping and we heard a sound as if someone was digging a hole ,to our surprise it was our sitroom wall that fell down and one bedroom were my sister in-law was sleeping at went down as well we could not sleep that night .and it was heavily raining and people could see us since our wall went down.i became stressed out because I was 7 months pregnant for my first born child who is now 6 months old , we stayed in the house for 3 days,after we found another one were we are located now..,
Cyclone Freddy destroyed houses in our area . houses were falling off one after another .the whole day ended with hearing news that someone has lost a life ,house , we lost power.that we could not even communicate to our parents about it..the moment we got an opportunity to charge our phones .found so many missed calls from trying to find out how we are doing because they were watching the news that our area was affected with cyclone Freddy ..I had to explain to my mother that our house has fallen off we are actually the victims of cyclone Freddy, all my relatives were worried . including friends as well and those from outside malawi.
Being pregnant and facing such situation was a very traumatizing situation I could not sleep properly during the day ,I could nap for a minute and then wake up to check if everything is okay around ,fear was planted inside of me ,the head was full of thoughts. All because of destroying environment that provide us with basic needs for survival..that is resulting to the problems we are facing now .
For women I believe that increased exploitation is just one of many reasons that climate change is a feminist issue ..we are responsible for caring for our children just like myself,and the whole family.this becomes hard wheen flooding and drought occurs.we lose access to, we education, we experience premature birth,. still birth and sometimes birthweight outcome is not that good
We can actually address environmental degredation by planting more trees ,increasing awareness about it..people should be aware of the consequences of destroying the environment all over places, the government can aswel take part in controlling the population in the country.
It was my first time experiencing something that you sometimes you watch it on TV , watching how others are suffering.it made me think alot while I was still pregnantthat I need to be part of reving the environment to reduce the problems we are facing now in our country,
I am a founder of community care trust organization.that aims at reaching out to the vulnerable mothers, children and the youth in access to quality health services through issues of Gender based violence,women empowerment, civic education, youth and girl child empowerment, and human rights .so in corraboration with Mponera youth club after giving birth I decided to take part in tree planting as one of the ways of dealing with environmental degredation the initiative went well even though there were some challenges like
1. Physical exertion: Tree planting often requires manual labor, including digging holes, carrying saplings, and watering. Young people may find these tasks physically challenging and tiring.
3. Time commitment: Tree planting can require a significant time commitment, including planning, coordinating with other volunteers, and actually planting people who already have busy schedules may find it difficult to allocate enough time for this activity.
4. Environmental conditions: Depending on the season and location, tree planting exercises may take place in extreme weather conditions, such as heat or cold . This can make the task more burdensome for young people.
5. Lack of resources: Young people may face challenges in accessing the necessary resources for tree planting, such as tools, saplings, or transportation to the planting site. Limited financial resources or lack of support from local authorities can further hinder their efforts.
6. Maintaining long-term commitment: Tree planting is not just about planting the saplings but also ensuring their survival and growth. Young people may struggle with the long-term commitment required to care for the trees, especially if they have other responsibilities or interests competing for their attention.
7. Lack of awareness or support: Some young people may face challenges in raising awareness about the importance of tree planting and garnering support from their peers or community members. Encountering apathy or skepticism towards their efforts can be discouraging.
I believe that young people are the ones to rise up in corraboration with the Government to address issues of climate change that are affecting us during rainy season.