Noah Kanda
Noah’s childhood was disrupted by tribal clashes. He says that the hardship he went through created a drive in him of wanting to unite his peers into a youth group, and come up with ways in which they can be self-reliant and also help their community.
Noah was inspired by Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner for her Greenbelt Movement. His project is to establish a tree nursery with the Ministry of the Environment and educate the local community on the importance of planting trees to conserve the environment. Planting trees will improve water catchment and will serve as a source for domestic and irrigational purposes. The Association of Kenyan Professionals in Atlanta is helping to support Noah. “My vision is to accomplish my higher learning and give back to the community that is suffering from a lot of problems ranging from poor infrastructure, poverty, to poor health conditions…”
2008 Update
Noah is an education major whose project is to establish in his village of Tuturung, Marakwet District, a tree nursery to improve water catchment and conserve the environment. Noah reflects, “After observing the rapid cutting down of trees both indigenous and artificial, I saw there was the need to take an initiative of replacing trees and conserve the environment. …We used to receive heavy rainfall for the last ten years but now it is unreliable. By this fact, I was agitated to look forward and save the community from the crisis by working with the stakeholders like the local forest department.”
His objectives are to: educate the community on environmental conservation (e.g. better environment improves agricultural activities), mobilize youth in drawing water from catchment areas for the community benefit, encourage youths in Primary and High school in their academic pursuit.to prepare them to help in community development, work hand in hand with stakeholders like the GREENBELT MOVEMENT who has good initiatives in conserving the environment through tree planting, and establish investments among the youth such as growing of seasonal crops to help bring in income.
Noah reports, “During our first project, we were given a small piece of land at the school garden where we established our nursery. Our target is to plant four hundred trees in a year. With a spacing of two meters apart we are able to plant four hundred trees round the school compound [i.e two to three acres of land]. We get the certified seeds from the forest department. They always recommend the right species to plant according to the area where we establish our project.. Mostly they recommend, Grievelea, Cypress and Eucalyptus. Grievelea is the variety we plant mostly on farms because they do not interfere with the soil fertility hence friendly to agricultural activities.”
Noah received PATHWAYS funds for his project in 2008.
2009 Update
In the last year, with help from PATHWAYS, Noah and his youth group have leased a piece of land to establish the tree nursery and registered the group which has helped in seeking support from the community. The areas where the trees are planted are mainly on public lands for example schools, cattle dips and hospitals. The community youth group visited Kipsetan and Chebai primary schools on 26th and 28th February 2009 to educate them on the importance of trees in conserving the environment.
The project is run by the following committee:
Chairperson: Titus Kiplagat (farmer)
Secretary: Noah Kanda (student)
Treasurer: David Kibiwot(student)
Activity co-coordinator: Timothy Koilege (student)
Nursery manager: John Kipkorir(Businessman)
Accomplishments for the year 2008/2009:
1. Location of a suitable nursery site
2. Mobilization of youths.
3. Researching for suitable seeds.
4. Identifying and collaborating with other established tree planting project groups.
5.Identifying and influencing schools to plant trees.
2010 Update
▪Developed a group constitution.
area.
[Community pictured left in tree nursery.]
▪Established two tree nursery sites.
▪Sold trees to the Greenbelt movement for planting in the Tuturung.
[Noah shows visiting PATHWAYS scholar Nafisa Ayuka the tree nursery.]
2011 Update
▪Invited four members to attend seminar on Youth Enterprise Scheme.
▪Joining of five new members to online discussions on development issues of the community.
▪Initiated restaurant business to the group
▪Networked with Greenbelt Movement representative in Trans-Nzoia District.
▪Planted 300 passion fruits seedlings by 3 members.
▪Start construction of a restaurant that will serve as a community meeting facility as well as a restaurant.
▪Increase registration of members to 50 via talent/skill approach.
▪Information centre/Resource centre- Access of internet services.
▪Form a network of all tree planting projects in the area.
