Greenpop announces Zambia Festival of Action 2015

© Sydelle Willow-Smith

Greenpop has run its annual Zambia Festival of Action in Livingstone since 2012, as a way to draw attention to its ongoing environmental and eco-education project in the area, as well as to bring people together from around the world to share knowledge and work together in a conference-style way.

Its progress over the past three years in Zambia includes: 11,176 trees planted, 97 planting days, 24 sustainability workshops, seven educational wall murals, over 50 handmade solar cookers, over 10 handmade rocket stoves, 74 Tree Tuesday radio shows, 48 school eco days, five community farms, one reforestation site, over 500 passionate planters from Zambia and around the world have joined in the four Festivals of Action so far.

Make small but necessary changes

"We're not trying to save Zambia. The issue of deforestation in Zambia is incredibly complex and we do not intend to solve it with this project. Instead, we hope to plant a seed with the people we reach that will inspire people to get active about a sustainable future for ourselves and our planet. People who come to the Greenpop Zambia Festival of Action come to share knowledge, connect, give back and learn a lot themselves to take back to their countries and make small but necessary changes all over the world," said Greenpop Director Lauren O'Donnell.

"Speaking for the whole community, we have cut down many trees for fuel. We are grateful to Greenpop for encouraging so many people to plant trees. We hope to spread the message to our friends and neighbours. Planting trees has really helped Livingstone," said Gilbert Nyambe, Linda Farm School, Livingstone, where 40 trees were planted during an educational workshop at the Festival of Action 2014.

Greenpop has already started gearing up for the Festival of Action 2015 when the organisation will once again host a variety of sustainability workshops for school children, subsistence farmers, and local and international volunteers and will facilitate the planting of thousands more trees - it's aiming for between 3500 and 4000 trees in 2015.

Last year the Festival of Action had people attending workshops on permaculture and food forests, alternative energy, green building methods, and recycling and up-cycling. In 2015, Greenpop aims to grow the workshop element of the event and participants can look forward to a host of interesting topics which they will announce early next year, so keep an eye on their website and Facebook page.

Earth Fest is a rocking party with great live music from around southern Africa - it forms part of the Festival of Action. Participants who are there for the first week of the Festival are invited to enjoy some fine African beats on Saturday 11 July in Livingstone! Expect live music acts from all over southern Africa, groovy beats from local DJs, interactive presentations on environmentalism and sustainability and a great vibe.

For more info, go to www.greenpop.org/projects/trees-for-zambia.