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Zambia has been hard hit by HIV/Aids, has a large population of rural poor and very high rates of deforestation. We are working with the local people to establish an orchard of trees that can serve as an important source of protein for the sick and children and is also a source of income. The "Trees for hope in Zambia" project is our contribution to the larger effort being led by Garry Brooks (a CIF member from the Vancouver Island Section) entitled "African Community Project".

African Community Project (ACP) educates rural communities across Zambia about the importance of the environment that surrounds them: mainly the forests. Forests play a vital role in our lives, yet we sometimes take them for granted.

Communities are educated through the establishment of tree nurseries at the village schools and teaching the teachers, as well as the students, the need to look after their environment. Skills in growing trees, their uses and the environmental benefits of maintaining a healthy forest take the forefront in these projects. All types of trees are grown, from fast-growing trees like Moringa (health), Leucaena (firewood) and Jatropha (bio fuels) to fruit trees, commercial (pine and eucalyptus) and, most importantly, indigenous trees. Creating sustainable livelihoods from the forest, like charcoal production, beekeeping, basket and mat making, medicine, food (mushrooms and caterpillars), fish farming, and tourism, are also important goals.

Find out more about this project please visit: http://www.africancommunityproject.com/.