On the income generation factor, the BDP is involved in the production of raw materials for the extraction of essential oils which has a speedy income generation capacity. For most of the trees, the beneficiary receives economic gain within a year or less. This is a distinct advantage over other tree growing initiatives where the beneficiary only finds economic gain after years and in some cases decades because the tree takes long to mature enough for logging.
BDP Income Generating Projects within the community have a two-pronged benefit because the projects contribute to environmental conservation efforts by adding both forest cover as well as reducing soil erosion with the shrubs. At the same time, the projects contribute to the improvement of livelihoods in the community and alleviate poverty. We incorporate technology transfer efforts so that there is a spread of best practice in agri-business ideas in the wider community.
Trees in Schools
BDP’s pilot project worked with government-owned secondary schools enabling the project to benefit learner populations in technology transfer of best practices in environmental conservation, re-forestation, and agri-business. Many participants in the school population are children from vulnerable economic backgrounds.
BDP also works with households adjacent to the schools especially girls many of whom drop out of school on account of early pregnancy, women especially widows and single mothers who are the main beneficiaries of small non-productive farms in the community, those with physical impairments, and orphans especially those orphaned by HIV/AIDS and the post election violence of 2007/2008.
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