Working with a Community Group

The RVTT has been working with the Community Food and Environment Group (COFEG) based in Molo, Kenya since 2001.

The objectives of COFEG are

• To Promote food security through sustainable agriculture with a strong bias towards organic farming

• Carrying out projects that help reverse environmental degradation and help to conserve natural resources
  
  

The group has its main tree nursery in Molo. Funds donated by RVTT have helped to set up eight further nurseries. Since 2001, over 600,000 trees have been raised, ready for planting out into the community.
 
The money donated by the RVTT has been used to purchase seed, plant containers, rainwater collection tanks, and has funded the digging of two valuable wells. 

In 2009 the RVTT and COFEG embarked on a new scheme planting indigenous trees at schools. Pupils are taught how to look after the trees and as the trees grow they will provide shade to play under.
 

Working with a School

Gogar Primary School, situated in the Rift Valley, has over 500 pupils, who up until recently, played in a dusty playground devoid of shade. With money from the RVTT, the school has been able to fence off areas and plant trees.  Six years on, the dusty school yard has turned into an attractive and shady playground for the children to enjoy.

Working with an individual

Solomon Gitau, with his own limited resources, has been on a mission to encourage farmers to plant indigenous trees. His belief is that all farmers should be encouraged to replant what were once common trees to the area, and help reverse the many years of deforestation.
Solomon has set up a small study centre where children from local schools come to learn the importance of conserving and improving their natural environment.

The RVTT has provided roofing materials and rainwater collecting tanks for this centre, and fencing materials to protect Solomon�s woodland from livestock.

Fuel Efficient Stoves

In January 2009 we started a new project encouraging the use of fuel efficient stoves. In the Molo area about 90% of households still cook on the traditional three stone open fire. This is a highly inefficient method of cooking, as only about 15% of the available energy is used. A fuel efficient stove can reduce the amount of timber burnt by 50%. As women often have to walk miles to the forest to collect timber, these stoves can save hours of arduous work, as well as taking some pressure off the ever diminishing forest. The stoves are sold at a subsidised price and are proving to be very popular.