ASEC News

Planting a successful future

African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC)

Students and sisters planting pine trees together.


Sr. Clementine Phiri uses her experience with the SLDI program to help spread the word about caring for the environment.

As a member of the Little Servants of Mary Immaculate Sisters (LSMI), Sr. Clementina Phiri works with the Lwitikila Girls Secondary School to help foster the minds of young girls. However, it was an experience that she had while studying administration through the SLDI program that led her to teach her biggest lesson.

“During our course we had a field trip to Kasisi Agricultural centre where we learned about growing different types of trees for economic sustainability,” said Sr. Clementine

Sr. Clementine never forgot this experience. When she began working with the school she gathered 580 pupils together to work with staff to help plant trees. Together the school was able to plant 1,000 pine trees and 100 Moringa trees on school grounds. Sr. Clementine said that she want this experience to give a much wider understanding for those involved.

“I wanted to raise the awareness in the pupils and staff about caring for 'Mother Earth',” said Sr. Clementine.

This activity was also able to serve as a much larger lesson for the students. Across Zambia trees are being cut down causing a mass destruction of land in the area. Pupils were encouraged to be involved in stopping the mass destruction of the land by cutting trees.

“This was done in order to create early awareness in the pupils who are the future of our nation of Zambia,” said Clementine.

Earlier in the year the school harvested and ripped 10,000 plunks from the pine trees planted by the sisters years ago. The planting of these new pine trees will help to yield fruits that will help to benefit future generations. All because of a trip Sr. Clementine took while studying with the SLDI program these students have learned how to care for the environment.

photo for news story, African Sisters Education Collaborative

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This article is addressing the following UN Sustainable Development Goal(s):

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Sustainable Cities and Communities Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
Sr. Clementine Phiri, LSMI

Sr. Clementine Phiri, LSMI
Author
SLDI Alumna - Zambia  

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