Introducing our new restoration space

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On 22 October, we turned a new leaf of accomplishment as an organization: Light On a Hill (LOAH) has officially launched our KIJANI Space.

Kijani means “leaf” or “green” in Swahili. Why Kijani? The green leaf represents life and hope for us as well as motivation to push on with our forest and nature restoration efforts. We will use the space as an education center for children and the community for the conservation and restoration of nature. Here, they will have the chance to theoretically learn in the classroom through curriculum sharing from experts such as foresters, soil scientists, agronomists and community developers. Audio-visual learning will also be another avenue, as well as storytelling and experience sharing.

The children will also learn practical skills in organic farming at our vegetable garden, including seed collection, propagation, the establishment and nurturing of tree nurseries, tree planting and growing from our greenhouse, and community engagements. This knowledge will enable them to carry out the same initiatives in their homes and surroundings.

You can also read more from my previous blogs about Kijani’s different components.

Kelsy, Samwel, Oxlade and Kandi pose for a happy photo in front of the learning space.
Nellie-Mama Day’s Director, Ann-GLF, Elias-Loah and Kandi photo after the official opening of the learning space.
Kids answering lessons learned from “Pale Blue Dot” by Carl Sagan played in the learning space.
 
Christine (GLF) giving remarks on the importance of protecting our planet.

We convened more than 100 individuals to celebrate with us, crowning our day in the most special way. The GLF team, a team from the K24 TV station, children, community members, friends and team members all made these numbers count.

Gordon-Bunny Wailer Farms, Tracy-Friend to Loah, Kandi and kids happy photo
Elias-Loah engaging the kids and participants on environmental education.

Fun activities for all, art from recycled plastics and boxes, make-up art for girls, play, feasting and cultural dances all brought color and smiles in unexplainable ways.

Maureen (Smartieme) guiding kids on recycled glass art.
Tracy-MUA, Chacha-K24, Diana-Loah Mentee applying make-up to the small girls.
Benji-Artist guiding kids and teachers on recycled boxes art.
Adult participants taking part in recycled glass art, guided by Maureen and Diana from Smartieme
Mama Day Kids play on Save Mother Nature.
Cultural dance led by Mama Day kids and participated by all-day participants.
 
Cake cutting by Issa-ICT011, Japhet-Indigenous community Rep, Ken-Smartieme and Kandi to crown the day and celebrate LOAH at 2.
Celebration through meal sharing
Concrete art by Serem, Diana, and Christine.
 

This space represents sustainability for our restoration efforts, making learning more fun and providing a space to inspire individuals from our community, nation, and globe to extend care and kindness to our planet through conservation and restoration.

K24 feature of the launch.

BE PART OF THE MOVEMENT

Finally…

…thank you for reading this story. Our mission is to make them freely accessible to everyone, no matter where they are. 

We believe that lasting and impactful change starts with changing the way people think. That’s why we amplify the diverse voices the world needs to hear – from local restoration leaders to Indigenous communities and women who lead the way.

By supporting us, not only are you supporting the world’s largest knowledge-led platform devoted to sustainable and inclusive landscapes, but you’re also becoming a vital part of a global movement that’s working tirelessly to create a healthier world for us all.

Every donation counts – no matter the amount. Thank you for being a part of our mission.

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Supporting partners 2023

Supporting partners

The Restoration Stewards program provides funding, mentorship and training to deepen the impact of youth-led restoration projects. The year-long program is run by the Youth in Landscapes Initiative (YIL) and the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) under the banner of Generation Restoration to support and highlight the work of eight young restoration practitioners and their teams in 2023.

During the program, the Restoration Stewards and their teams are  supported to further develop their project and serve as ambassadors at both global and local levels. Globally, the Restoration Stewards share their journeys in a series of vlogs and blogs documenting their stories of inspiration and challenges and participate in different international events to showcase their work. Locally, they are sparking a restoration movement, mobilizing local communities and creating pathways to connect, share, learn, and act for livelihoods and landscapes.