UE/R: SOCO PROJECT FACILITATORS URGED TO WORK HARD FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT – DCE NABDAM
BY: VALERIUS ATUIMAH
The community grounds of Fumbisi were transformed into a vibrant hub of environmental advocacy on Thursday, December 18, 2025, as students, educators, and traditional leaders gathered for the AfriKids Tree Festival. The event marked three years of the “Children Against Climate Change” (CACC) program, celebrating the planting and nurturing of 5,000 trees across four districts in the Upper East and North East regions.
The festival, co-moderated by a student from one of the participating schools set the tone of gratitude and stewardship. The festival was a diverse assembly of stakeholders from the education directorate, forestry, and conservation stakeholders with traditional and community leaders committed to restoring Ghana’s green cover especially in the Northern ecological zone.
Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the AfriKids Country Director, Mr. Raymond Ayinne highlighted the magnitude of the achievement. Since 2023, the Children in Action Against Climate Change (CACC) program, funded by Gower Street, has expanded across the Binduri, Talensi, Builsa South, and Mamprugu Moagduri districts.
“Each tree represents hope, cleaner air, and shade for generations to come,” Mr. Ayinne noted, offering a spirited “Ayekoo!” to the partner schools. He emphasized that the initiative has successfully woven environmental lessons into the daily lives of thousands of students.
The keynote address delivered by Mr. Julius Awaregya, Executive Director of ORGIIS Ghana, provided a sobering breakdown of anthropogenic factors, human-driven actions like stripping riverbanks, chemical farming, and charcoal production that have left waterways dry.
However, he offered a solution rooted in technique. He credited AfriKids for adopting ORGIIS Ghana’s “deep-dig” method, which allows taproots to reach deep moisture, ensuring saplings survive the harsh harmattan winds. “Six months, and seedlings shoot up because moisture sticks,” he explained, urging students to act as ambassadors for the environment in their local dialects.
The festival featured powerful solidarity messages from key partners. Mr. Atuburoa Moses Asiawen representing GES in the Builsa South District, expressed joy that “no school in Builsa South was left out.” He noted that some of the trees now serve as vital windbreaks, protecting school roofs from being ripped off during storms.
The Forestry Commission’s Bolgatanga district manager, Mr. Felix Amoah, warned that “without trees, we cannot survive,” comparing those who destroy forests to dog owners who starve their hunting companions. He aligned the event with the national “Tree for Life” drive, encouraging every student to “plant, own, and nurture.”
The festival was punctuated by the creativity of the students from the winning schools, highlighting the urgency of climate crisis, whilst also celebrating their communities’ heritage through Poetry.
The highlight of the festival was the awards ceremony, recognizing schools with the highest tree survival rates. The winning schools received citations and practical tools such as wheelbarrows, shovels and pick-axes etc. In the Talensi District, the honors for highest achievement went to Tongo-Balungu Primary (2023/24) and Winkogo JHS (2024/25). Binduri District saw Gotesaliga Primary & JHS and Tansia Primary & JHS take top spots for the respective cycles, while in Builsa South, Zeng Primary and Chansa JHS were celebrated for their exceptional survival rates. In the Mamprugu Moagduri District, Prima D/A Basic and Yagaba Girls Model JHS emerged as the leading green schools. Runners-up included Kpalugu Primary & JHS, Narang-Saag Primary & JHS, Wiesi Primary & JHS, Gbedema JHS, Yirangu D/A Primary, and Katigri D/A Basic.
Special Citations of Honor were presented to, Gower Street for their unwavering funding and establishing the Climate Education Community of Practice, the Forestry Commission for their reliable partnership and providing seedlings since 2023, and finally to ORGIIS Ghana for providing the technical expertise that made CACC a household name.
Visiting and interacting with staff of one of the participating schools, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, the headteacher of Kasesa Primary, gave a practical showcase of a thriving Neem tree, explaining how students managed to keep it alive despite sharing a limited water borehole with the community.
The festival left the participants with a collective mission to ensure the 5,000 seeds of hope continue to grow.
