Emmanuel Niyoyabikoze

The power of One

This young man lives in the Republic of Burundi, a landlocked area in Africa with surrounds including the African Great Lakes district and bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania, the Republic of Congo and Lake Tanganyika. (the second oldest and second largest fresh water lake in the world) The country lies on a rolling plateau along the East African Rift, it has an equatorial climate with a the land mass of approx 27 800 km or 10 700 square miles inclusive of aprox 10% natural water.

Due to its proximity and surrounds, the country is resource poor (Burundis’ natural resources include uranium, nickel, cobalt, copper and platinum) and relies heavily on agriculture and pasture outcomes.  Agriculture accounts for an estimated 90% of all employment “which is primarily subsistence farming est at 90% of agricultural existence”

Burundi is one of the worlds poorest countries and approx 80% of the population live in poverty.
The population growth is over twice that of the rest of the world.
It would be fair to say that Burundi has had more than its share of Civil war and Political unrest within living history.

This balance sees families move to rural areas to settle, which has led to increased deforestation, erosion and habitat loss.
Habitat loss saw the extinction of Gorillas and elephants and a range of endemic wildlife is in peril, Burundi was once home to over 2000 species of plants, 500 birds, 100 reptiles, 80 mammals and 20 amphibians,
In 2005 it was estimated there was 600 km2 /230 sq miles of natural forest remaining in Burundi.

So in what most would see as a difficult landscape, this young man at the age of 23 took it upon himself to turn the tide, in his own surrounds.
Emmanuel is a community minded soul who is often found contributing to Awareness, Environmental Preservation and what he terms, Peace building within his community.
With an understanding that escapes most, knowing that someone has to make a start in his home area, start he did.
Objectives and outlook were formulated and in October 2018 began the “Greening Burundi” Project
Aim: Reforestation, community building, Land restoration and I suspect most importantly “hope”
Commencement: Start a nursery and plant hope.  Involve community to ensure a return to the lasting legacy we call home.

Purchase of seeds by one man in a community with very little income quickly became unrealistic, not to be deterred, gathering his own was the next move.
Propagate, gather seeds, plant and nursery care.

In what Emmanuel terms the “first phase” in the midst of his surrounds and obstacles, this young man has managed to inspire and enact his community to plant not a few dozen trees with his methods (which would be an inspiration) but somehow they have, with his dedication, planted an awe inspiring 10 thousand!

In the second phase  of the Greening Burundi project,  they have setup a nursery with the intention of planting more than 200 thousand trees between October and November 2019.

Due to the economic and political landscape, Burundi has one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world, with more than half of all children under the age of five suffering from chronic malnutrition.
Phase two is planting a range of food crops to ensure accessible nutritious options for local communities.

• Fruit trees: Mango, Avocado, Papaya, Orange, Lemon
• Agroferestry trees: Grevellea, Cedrella, Acacia, Calliandra
• Forestry trees

You can join us in following this young mans’ journey by tuning in to the BioSphere channel
or visiting one of the online pages setup to assist.
He is seeking Practical, product and financial assistance to help meet his enormous commitment,

Emmanuel Niyoyabikoze, another quiet achiever: