Ngora School for the Deaf planting trees for life

Every Friday, learners from Ngora School for the Deaf spend one and a half hours studying environmental education outdoors. They have raised a nursery bed with an ambitious plan of distributing 50,000 seedlings to the community.

The learners also educate the community about climate change because like everyone else, it is their responsibility to plant trees and protect the environment as Kenneth Odele reports.

At the foot of the Ogereger rock in Ngora Town Council, Ngora District, lies Ngora School of the Deaf, one of the only three specialist schools in the country. The school began operations in 1969 under the auspices of the Church of Uganda, with support from the Christoffel-Blindenmission (CBM), to deliver primary education to children with hearing impairments.

The school, with a total enrollment of 140 learners, having recognised the vulnerability of the Test Sub-region to environmental challenges such as strong winds, soil erosion, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and prolonged drought, has embarked on an ambitious plan of reforestation.

The day starts with the learners cleaning the school compound for 30 minutes before having a brief assembly. The lessons start at 8:30 am and by 9:30 am, everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere. The school does not have a bell. Instead, wall clocks are mounted in every classroom and in strategic corners of the classroom block.

The learners stroll downhill to a nursery bed adjacent to the playing ground. Here, learning is conducted in groups, under two big mango trees, depending on one’s level. The lessons are conducted by Benjamin Acou, a tree expert.

Different groups concentrate on activities such as sieving the dark volcanic soil, potting the seedlings, watering, spraying, weeding, thinning the seedlings, and making beehives.

“Despite our hearing impairments, we want to show the community that we can contribute to protecting our environment for future generations. While we may not hear the warnings about climate change, we see its impact on the land such as withering trees, drying water sources, and strong winds,” Sharon Akullu, a Primary Seven pupil explains through sign language.

A breakfast of porridge and yellow bananas is served at 10:30 am. It is a working breakfast in a serene environment.

Stella Patience Atim, the school’s headmistress, says the tree planting project commenced last year with a nursery bed to nurture seedlings of indigenous varieties and fruit-bearing trees.

“Trees for Life-Uganda, a tree planting initiative that aims to plant 25 million trees in Uganda, visited the school and trained the children in beekeeping and nursery development. We believe that children with hearing impairments can still participate in curbing climate change,” she says.

Currently, Uganda is experiencing unpredictable rainfall patterns and high temperatures that are threatening food security in some areas. The pupils and staff at Ngora School for the Deaf have dedicated themselves to environmental protection and conservation, setting a target to plant over 50,000 trees by July this year.

“Changing the mindset of our community towards the importance of trees begins with our attitudes. We are training the children so that they can plant trees in their homes as well. Each child is given five tree seedlings at the end of the school term,” Atim adds.

The variety of seedlings in the nursery bed includes cloned eucalyptus, jackfruit, and mango seeds, which are also supplied to the community free of charge. So far, over 3,000 seedlings have been given to the community.

“Last year, we planted trees at the health centre and the district headquarters and distributed seedlings to schools around us. We created awareness in the community, which was happy because many people did not know that children with hearing impairment can learn other skills outside the classroom,” Atim explains.

The school believes that it is vital for children to learn not only academic subjects but also to focus on protecting the environment by incorporating tree planting and management in the learning timetable.

Part of curriculum

The school has dedicated one and a half hours every Friday morning towards outdoor environmental studies, with the staff monitoring and guiding the learners.

“I encourage all schools and our policymakers to adopt this schedule. There is a lot of littering and cutting down of trees in this community. Environmental education should be one of the critical subjects to be included in the curriculum if we are to produce a generation sensitive to the environment,” Atim advises.

Geoffrey Okuna, the district inspector of schools, says the learners’ efforts are a good climate change mitigation effort, which will lead to healthier lives in the community.

“As the district’s education department, our role now is to reinforce their work by sensitising the community not to destroy the young trees they have planted. We are also advising the school management committees to put up a separate budget to enable schools to procure more seedlings,” he says.

Okuna affirms that the district will support the school in its endeavours and advocate for other schools to adopt the tree-planting scheme.

“Other schools will come here for benchmarking purposes. Some schools have attempted to grow trees but the challenge is that they do not have fences. So, the community members bring their cattle into the schools to graze, which destroys the young trees. All you see are remnants of an attempt at tree planting,” he adds.

Benjamin Acou, a tree expert from Trees for Life-Uganda hired by the school to deliver environmental practical skills, says the children are fast learners. Every holiday, the children are given five seedlings to take back home. In this way, the project receives wider coverage in different parts of the country.

“We have trained them on how to set up nursery beds, take care of and manage them, and the importance of trees. Trees provide food, shelter, shade, and medicine, and attract more rainfall, making them good for the ecosystem,” he says.

Acou adds that last year, the school’s nursery bed produced 2,000 mango and cloned eucalyptus seedlings. The aim is now to plant over 50,000 trees.

“Our priority is to give out seedlings to the community free of charge. If we sell the seedlings, the community will reject them. People have different mindsets when it comes to tree planting. But with free seedlings, we can change their minds about the importance of trees in their homes,” he explains.

Benefits

David Opolot, the apiary master, talks about the importance of planting trees and beekeeping in the same area, saying that bees ensure the next generation of trees.

“The bees at the site carry out pollination for biodiversity. We are now teaching the children the skills of managing the bees for their product (honey) and environmental management,” he says.

Francis Orone is one of the community members who have benefited from free seedlings supplied by the Ngora School for the Deaf.

“I got 10 jackfruit seedlings free of charge and the trees are doing well. I hope that in the future, the school will give me more seedlings so that I can sell the jackfruit to enhance my livelihood. I desire that more community members can benefit from the free seedlings,” he says.

Atim reiterates that the school is hoping to benefit from environmental activities in terms of income and benefits for the health of the children. The school has 14 beehives.

“Our children no longer fall ill with cough and flu because we give them fruits from our trees and honey from our beehives. Prof (Patrick) Ogwang visited our school and was impressed with our work. He donated ten beehives, and it was agreed that our honey will be supplied to Jena Herbals Uganda Limited,” she says.

Currently, the school has an order to supply 50,000 cloned eucalyptus seedlings. However, the heat has penetrated the greenhouse and some of the seedlings might not survive.

“We need an irrigation scheme to supply us with water throughout the year because we are now receiving large orders that we might not be able to fulfill immediately,” Atim explains.

As the effects of global warming bite hard in some parts of the country, this tree project is a symbol of hope for the future shaped by the hands of learners with hearing impairments who have heard the silent call of nature in their community.