Creative actions on climate
change and human rights

The 3 Life-Changing Fruit Trees Transforming Outspan Primary School in Bwaise!

Act Africa Now

Kitchen gardens of spinach and Sukumawiki at Outspan School

Outspan Primary School in Bwaise, Kawempe, is located in a very poor area of Kampala, where people live on less than 10k a day. There are no government schools within 5 miles of the site, so the community is dependent on private schools such as Outspan Primary to provide education to their children. Outspan is an outstanding school with motivated teachers, a library, chess clubs, a school band, scouts, and poetry groups. They are also environmentally friendly, with active sack and tyre gardens and kitchen gardens in the main compound.

Why Choose Outspan Primary School?

Mambya decided to plant three fruit trees with Outspan Primary school for the following reasons:

They have a space (the sports field) big enough for trees to grow to maturity and not be disturbed or developed for at least 30 years.
They are an environmentally conscious school, with environmental issues taught regularly in lessons from biology to nutrition to agriculture. They already have flourishing kitchen gardens within the compound.
They have active teachers and caretakers who can guide the students to care for the trees by watering them daily and sensitizing all students to the importance of trees.
Access to nutritious food is scarce in this area. Fruits are expensive and rarely consumed. Posho and beans are the staple diet for most. When the trees bear fruit, students and teachers will be able to eat fresh avocados, mangoes, and oranges as part of their school meals. Some students are also dealing with HIV, and access to nutritious food helps ARV drugs to work better.
Trees will provide welcome shade to students and teachers who want a quiet area to relax, study, or watch the football game.

Students planting a Rosemary sapling next to the Mango

What Did We Plant?

We planted an orange tree, a mango tree, and an avocado tree in addition to rosemary and citronella herbs to support the water retention of the saplings.

How was this possible?

These three trees were made possible becuase of three sponsors who’s sponsorship paid for the saplings, composts, fencing and care for 2 years for the trees.