Last year, Dr. Jean Damascene Uwizeyimana took a stroll through Rwanda's Rulindo District. Amidst the red earth and citron leaves, the occasional pig grunt, he saw something else: thousands of trees, planted just a year prior, now standing firm.
Their roots were doing the important work: catching rain, shading crops, and generally bringing a much-needed breath of fresh air (literally) to warming hillsides. The land, and the people, were breathing a little easier.
There's an old saying about trees: "The best time to plant one was 20 years ago. The second best time is today." It’s a quiet nod to the fact that some acts of care are long-term investments, the kind where you plant a seed today for shade you might never sit under, or a harvest you might not taste. Jean’s work is a living testament to that.
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This belief has been the bedrock for Jean and the Rwanda Women and Youth Development Organization (RWAYDAVO) for years. They've already put over 40,000 trees in the ground. And because apparently that's just a warm-up, RWAYDAVO is now embarking on the next phase: another 50,000 trees across six rural communities in northern Rwanda.
Because deforestation isn't just a buzzword here; it's a very real problem that has led to soil erosion, landslides, and a significant loss of biodiversity. These aren’t just seedlings going into the earth. They're a community effort, with students, teachers, local leaders, and families all pitching in to restore hillsides, protect farmland, and strengthen local ecosystems. Plus, a good chunk are fruit trees, which means future food and income for generations.
Jean, working with the youth, sees more than just restored land. He sees a renewed connection. As he noted in his journal, one person put it simply: "This land used to forget us." Another added, "Now it feeds us." It’s about remembering their place within the land, celebrating it, and committing to its continuous care.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Jean recalled hearing birdsong, laughter, and the quiet, undeniable sound of something growing.
Roots in the Community
This ambitious project was a recipient of the July 2026 Project of the Month Club, which spotlights local organizations doing vital work. Members of GlobalGiving's Project of the Month Club are helping RWAYDAVO hit that 50,000-tree target, ensuring these new forests will benefit future generations.
The growth isn't just in the forests, mind you. It's in young people stepping up as environmental protectors, in families improving their lives, and in communities actively shaping their own green future. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying for anyone who prefers a barren landscape.
