Activity: Throw to Grow Hike
When: 13th November 2021
Service: Rotary Club of Lavington Jioni, Lets Drift, Cook well jikos, Miti Alliance, Seed-balls Kenya
Charges: Ksh 1,500
Distance: 12km
Duration: 5hours
“Open your hearts.” Elizabeth Wathuti speech at COP26.
Deforestation. This was the vibe at the recent COP26 that had Nations gather for a solution. Climate change is escalating at an alarming rate that can be felt in my motherland. Plenty of rainfall was to bless us in October but that was diverted to a scorched sun that rose as early as 5:45am. November is here with little showers that we hope can make a difference to Agriculture. January is a corner away and as a Kenyan ritual, hunger strikes from all spheres. This is when media houses really portray what Binyavanga Wainaina wrote in his How to Write about Africa book.
Donations are channeled by various organizations and individuals to worst hit regions. I call it a vicious cycle of poverty that I’ve refused to be part of since time in memorial. The hymn hasn’t changed and how I wish this song could have a different beat. What’s even worse is we continue cutting down trees in the city; all in the name of development. Development my foot!
The hike started off at Lusigetti (Kikuyus did the thing) or Rose Gate where the heat could be felt even without maneuver. This collaboration among different stakeholders aims at planting 1,000,000 trees (Savana Acacia) in the Kikuyu-Nachu escarpment. Yes I was back at Nachu. Nachu Caves
Catapults came to play and we revived our childhood days. Unlike other tree planting activities where a hole is dug and a seedling goes in, the Throw to grow narrative is a different story. Like the name suggests, you throw the seed-balls by using a catapult. These seed-balls are black in color since charcoal coats them to protect them from pests and diseases. Moreover, to collect water and moisture when it rains so that the seed can germinate. We had fun, we had joy. (Why Im thinking of Westlife).
Ngong hills plus Kikuyu escarpments beautified the horizon away from the shrubs, cactus and acacia trees. It was at these slopes where we threw our seed-balls before venturing to the caves that housed Mau-Mau fighters- Nguruga Cia Njagiri. From here, the route connected our way back to Lusigetti.
Help Green up Kenya.
Ps: We planted 1,000 seed-balls.
Girl On The Move 