Greenpop gets ready for Trees for Zambia project

The Greenpop team is setting up, trees are ready and school children, local businesses and volunteers are gearing up for tree planting, soccer activities, live music and more.

Last week, the team received an inspiring video message of support from Wanjira Mathai, daughter of Nobel Peace prize laureate and Green Belt Movement founder, Wangari Mathai. Wanjira Mathai is the director of international relations for her late mother's organisation and shares her mother's passion for trees and our planet. This video message addresses Greenpop's volunteers and sends wishes and support from the Green Belt Movement and will be screened at the Trees for Zambia event.

"We are truly honoured to receive this message of support from such a prominent figure in Africa. We are really excited for our volunteers to hear her speak of the issues, challenges and solutions in Africa," says Jeremy Hewitt of Greenpop.

Sponsorship for Miss Earth contestants

Reliance Compost has announced that they will be sponsoring ten Miss Earth SA contestants to join the Trees for Zambia event. Accompanied by Ella Bella, United Nations Youth Ambassador for the UN Environmental Programme and Miss Earth South Africa Educational Officer, and Catherine Constantinides, national director of Miss Earth South Africa, the ten ladies will join the project for the first week as volunteers.

"Reliance is passionate about the environment and the people in it," says Reliance Compost director, Eddie Redelinghuys. "Reliance has now partnered with Greenpop and Miss Earth SA to not only offset their carbon footprints, but also to support both these organisations as their goals are synonymous with that of Reliance. Inviting 12 Miss Earth representatives to the Greenpop Reforestation and Education project in Zambia is all about bringing like-minded people together, because together we can achieve so much more. If we can inspire only 10% of the people we make contact with to also take a keen interest in the environment and its people, we will make this world a better place for generations to come."

During the project indigenous and fruit trees will be planted in schools, forest concession areas and on small subsistence farms as part of a conservation farming method. A food forest will also be planted in a protected rural village area near Songwe with a women's group who already use the area for gardening. Another planting location is right at the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site, where alien vegetation has been cleared.