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 Trees for Siuyu
Purpose of project:
To prevent erosion, to improve the soil through forestation and natural compost, to have a variety of trees: fruit trees and bushes; medicinal trees and shrubs; hardy. shade-giving trees; flowering trees for beauty and for honey.
Details of Project:
 For years various plants, particularly papaya and other fruit trees, banana bushes and others
greens had been planted in small numbers. The new project serves the purpose of systematically
saving the land and helping with different kinds of food and medicines.
At first 2000 Grevillea
trees (silver oak) were planted from saplings. Half of them survived the drought and attacks by
termites. Now attempts are being made to grow from seeds which are planted in home-made compost.
The group produces their own tree nursery: saplings of fruit-trees, shrubs of medicinal properties,
trees for firewood, flowering and ornamental trees, climbing plants like passiflora, African Neem
trees whose leaves deter termites and esp. of Casuarine trees, a pine like tree with nitrogen
fixing qualities.
 Over the last few years more than 20,000 trees have been planted. Many have survived. In the semi-desert land Siuyu looks like an oasis.
Daily watering is required to keep the seedlings alive. It means carrying a lot of buckets of water.
Collection of Rainwater:
The tree project requires a lot of water during the 7-8 months of dry season. Six huge, concrete underground tanks have been built. The school buildings, esp. the dormitories offer much roof space. Gutters and rain pipes have been fixed to conduct the water into the underground tanks.
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