Planting trees to grow out of poverty

EASTERN PROVINCE BUGESERA—As part of the activities marking World Poverty Day, the United Nations Development Programme has engaged the youngest and brightest of Rwanda in a bad to ‘plant’ their way out of poverty. UNDP country director Anthony Kwaku Ohemeng Boamah on Wednesday led pupils of Mayange B primary school in a tree planting exercise as participants locked hands together and raised them as one in a campaign to “stand up and speak out against poverty.” One hundred and fifty trees were planted during the exercise for the Day marked on October 17. Addressing pupils, Kwaku challenged them to take education as a key in breaking the ‘viscous cycle of poverty’. He emphasized the need for tree planting as a link between poverty eradication and environmental conservation. “Africa and Rwanda in particular all depend on agriculture exports. Planting trees helps conserve the soil, which will in turn boost economic productivity of the land to help in poverty reduction.” Children should understand the key factors in poverty eradication, he said, which involves managing climatic change. Ends