12-year-old Nabwire Cynthia sits in a guava tree with her big brother Daniel Bwire. The pair are snacking on the sweet fruit as the sun begins to set on their father’s Forest Garden.
Charles’ Farm Needed Something New
Their dad, Charles Omondi, has been farming his land in Busia, Uganda for 40 years. But he was often unable to make ends meet and regularly worried about how he would feed his family. That all changed when he joined Trees for the Future’s (TREES) Forest Garden Training Program.
Local TREES staff teach farmers like Charles how to restore and protect their land using an agroforestry technique called the Forest Garden Approach. Farmers learn to use climate-smart methods and crop diversification to support the land and better withstand challenges like drought or pests.
Growing A Vibrant Forest Garden
When he signed up for the project in 2021, Charles identified a half hectare piece of his land to turn into a Forest Garden. At the time, he had two trees on the plot and was growing just one crop to sell. Now, he has more than 7,000 trees growing and can rely on 17 different marketable products to support his family.
“Permagardening has been my game changer,” he says.
Forest Garden farmers like Charles plant permagarden beds throughout their garden so that they have multiple crops growing at any given time. This has allowed Charles to provide food and necessities for his 12-person household.
Forest Garden Kids
His increased income covers school fees for Cynthia and Daniel too. When they aren’t in school, the kids are helping their dad in the Forest Garden… or playing under the shade of the trees they helped plant.
Help TREES staff reach more Forest Garden kids like Cynthia and Daniel with a donation today.
