Buyende single mothers plant 11,000 trees in memory of raped, injured colleagues
Some members of the Situka Single Mothers Foundation in a group photo at Igwaya Primary School with some of the 11,700 tree seedlings they are going to plant in memory of two of their 117 members who befell calamities three years ago. PHOTO | SAM CALEB OPIO
What you need to know:
- In 2021, one of their members was reportedly raped by a suspected patient with mental illness, while another purportedly fell off a tree from which she was cutting for firewood and sustained injuries.
Single mothers in Irundu Town Council, Buyende District under Situka Single Mothers’ Foundation have resorted to planting 11,700 trees in memory of two of their 117 members who faced devastating tragedies three years ago.
In 2021, one of their members was reportedly raped by a suspected patient with mental illness, while another purportedly fell off a tree from which she was cutting for firewood and sustained injuries.
The Foundation chairperson Aisha Nakyola, said the tree-planting drive comes ahead of Independence Day celebrations.
She added that this year, they have chosen to remember these incidents with a lesson for every single mother to have her own woodlots, preserve the environment and save the burden of buying firewood whose price has reportedly shot up from Shs500 to Shs2,000 per four-piece bundle.
“Today, we honour the horror memories of our colleagues and decided that each member plants only 10 trees for a start so that in the future, we do not have to go to the forest or far to look for firewood,” Ms Nakyola said on Saturday.
Nakyola, said the organisation was founded to empower, support and energise single mothers and widows on afforestation, food security and social development through village saving groups and is taking bold steps on environmental degradation.
Biyumba LC1 Chairperson Mustapha Emwos, said the effects of climate change are real and hitting the lakeshores hard, suggesting that afforestation to restore the forest cover and sun shelter is the way to go.
Kyoga Region National Forestry Authority (NFA) Ranger Manager, Michael Kusuro, said they are a willing partner in providing communities with tree seedlings as it manages forest reserves.
“Situka Single Mothers Foundation approached us for seedlings and trees and this falls under our mandate to improve, manage and preserve biodiversity conservation. We shall continue finding and helping communities in reforestation ventures,” he said.
Mr Busuro further explained that 90 per cent of households depend on firewood for fuel yet the forest cover has been depleted due to charcoal burning and clearing for sugarcane growing.
Situka Foundation Executive Director, Ali Wambede, said the organisation was “overwhelmed” by the demand and readiness by communities to embrace the Greening Campaign, and called upon District Environment Officers to visit villages and awaken programmes aimed at mitigating effects of climate change.
“With dependence on rain farming, hunger looms large and it is high time we also got into the desert colleagues’ way of irrigation, not rain-based farming because with trees over, the women won’t cook in time, which will breed domestic violence,” he observed.
