In the arid climate of lower Eastern Kenya, farming is an Olympian feat. Still, many farmers have no other economic options. Such is the case for FirmRock Children’s Helper.
Problems caused by government bans
To plant trees and other seed bearing plants, we need a plastics material called polyethylene. It is the most common material that planting containers are made from. The trouble is polyethylene has been recently banned in Kenya.
As a result of this ban, we have resorted to harvesting discarded milk bags to create the containers we especially need for our planting.
How the Plastic Harvest Works
We source the discarded milk bags from landfills and sometimes sewage areas. We’ve hired a contact who harvest the bags for us from the greater Nairobi area. After that, Director David transports them back the Migwani district to convert them for the project.
Many times they have to be dislodged from mud and debris. Using boards and various tools, we clean the mud bags and dry all the debris from them.
After this part is done, we have to cut the bags to the correct shape and remove all the branding information by turning the bag inside-out. These become excellent containers for our seedling plants, like trees, bushes and other vegetables that need a plastics container at their initial planting stage.
The search for support
While this system is effective, we need funding for a long term solution. With better funds we can cut down the time constraints on our productivity. With more time or smarter work solutions, we can plant more trees.
Saving Migwani, one tree at a time
The greatest struggle farmers in Migwani face is the arid climate. When you support our initiatives to establish a essentially modernized planting method, you are giving us the freedom to plant trees in greater abundance. Each tree we plant fights against soil erosion by establish strong earth shaping roots.
Trees then go on to add greater breathability to the region. This improves the climate which fosters a better living environment for the other vegetation in our area. Like a potter to the clay, the tree’s roots begin to turn the soil in a vessel for the rain. With better land shape, the existing water sources are less likely to dry up shortly after the rainfalls.
What we need from partners
To achieve this goal, we need these things in order of appearance:
Plastics
We need containers to hold our young plans in. Any support for purchasing plastics that escape the Kenyan ban is needful to delete the milk bag harvesting procedure from our roster.
Capital
We have an expense sheet that is more complex than making a simple grocery list of donations needs. Strategic partners than can assist us in raising needed capital are the ideal. With your savvy of funding relations, we will balance our expenses organically. Sustainable Kenyan agronomics is within our reach but not our grasp, per se. We have the natural resources, yet we lack the abstract financial materials to escalate our operation.
Seeds
Transporting the offspring of existing plants is good. Sowing new seeds to harvest new strains of plants is great. Those who can empower us with more species and varieties of cash crops will be the backbone of our self-sufficiency goals. You are the bricks and mortar of our farm operation. Your contributions will give life to the future of FirmRock and put a variety of foods in the mouths of our children.
Water tank installation
Even if we were to succeed planting a plethora of trees, there is a problem with arid conditions. Say we had setbacks in planting endeavors. If we had a reservoir installed our operation would have a soft place to land in times of unforeseeable hardship.
Every contribution matters
FirmRock believes adamantly in the power of people as partners above all else. However you choose to affiliate us, we will take those raw materials and lay a foundation that will push Migwani forward for decades. It is by your faithfulness that we will prevail over adversity and progress to a thriving outpost in the desert of an underdeveloped continent. We thank you in advance for joining forces with our mission.
Comments