Tree for peace

Ever since we focus on the Tomble community, They has been in the spotlight for mainly the wrong reasons . Operations in Tomble have been marred by killings, brutality, forced labour and angry community members who have either been relocated without compensation, have relative graves moved without prior agreement with family members or a lack of uplifting the standards of living for community members.

AREMD, a non profit organisation together with other local NGO’s working in the Tomble Community have been holding a yearly memorial event to remember disforestration related and degradation. This year (2022) AREMD had the privileged to participate in the Tomble Mid Year festival. As an organisation that promotes sustainable development, we acknowledge the impacts of disforestraation on the community, environments and the economy. We appreciate the contribution of stack holders activities to the Country’s GDP and economic growth. However we don’t forget the degradation it cause to the environment and society.

Social Impacts include:

• Loss of human life
• High school drop out
• Use of child labour
• Moral erosion with most girls involved in prostitution.
• High prevalence of diseases especially sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS related disease.

Environmental Degradation includes:

• Deforestation
• Air pollution
• Loss of animal habitat
• Loss of grazing land for livestock
• Water pollution leading to human and animal death.

This year, AREMD worked on FOSTERING RECONCILIATION THROUGH TREE PLANTING. This is an approach that uses tree planting as a sign and expression of hope for genuine reconciliation and sustainable peace within the community.