who we are
stones that grew
right: seedlings in SUNARMA's tree nursery.
left and centre: Dinknesh, the girl who believed stones could grow, now learning how to conserve land by planting trees.
As a child living in the highlands of Ethiopia, Dinknesh believed that stones could grow. Severe erosion meant that as more and more soil was blown away, the stones in the ground appeared to be getting bigger.
Good soil is vital for Dinknesh's family who, like 85% of Ethiopia's population, make a living from farming or keeping cattle.
MRDF partner SUNARMA trains youth groups in water and soil conservation, so that they can reclaim degraded land. Unusually for a girl, Dinknesh is a group leader and her group has received seeds, tools and training for tree planting.
Planting trees helps stop soil erosion, improves farmland and provides shelter for livestock and leaves for fuel. Other farmers are so impressed that they now come to Dinknesh and her youth group for advice.
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"The change in the nature of the land saddens me. Elders tell us that we are born at the wrong time. I grieve for my generation and also worry about the generations to come. If soil erosion continues this way, it will be dangerous. If we continue to maintain the soil and prevent erosion, we will be able to protect the land and save generations to come. I want to share what I have learned about conserving the land so that future generations will have better awareness." Dinknesh Shewaferaw |
