Kenya: How museum guard turned tree planter

  1. Posted on Monday 26 October 2009 - 13:44
    Peris
    Image of Peris
    Peris Wairimu, VoicesofAfrica alumna, Meru, Kenya
    Born in Barragu village, Gatimbi division, Imenti central District in Meru Kenya, John was working in Meru museum before he resigned after he was accused of being a witch due to his courageous act of catching snakes, chameleons and later taking them to the museum. It's due to his great interest of taking reptiles to the museum that he landed for a job in the museum as a guard and it is for the same reason that he had quit that job some years later.
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    After calling it off as a museum guard, John had a passion of indulging in tree,flower and fruit planting for sale to up keep his family's needs. He then started working tirelessly on his 21/2 acres piece of land by preparing tree, flower and fruit seedbeds. In 1993,he joined the Green Belt Movement(GBM) headed by professor Wangari Maathai the first African woman to win the Nobel Prize in 2004 and also an environmental activist helped him with several materials and advices to make his dream come true.

    The movement also organized various seminars to empower his strength. Currently John has 67 species of trees, flowers and fruits and 70,000 seedlings ready for planting in the coming rain season. In case the species are not bought in time, John gives for free to institutions, foresters and willing neighbors. The main reason for this is to encourage villagers to engage themselves in tree planting for rain attraction and also to improve on the climate change.

    John's long time dream is to construct a GREEN HOUSE in his farm to prevent his species from diseases and direct sunlight to produce the best quality. ‘Right now am using tree branches and polythene bags to protect my trees’, he said A green house also would assist him take less time while explaining to his frequent visitors .

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