ONE TREE PER CHILD

Miss Fazila Ishfaq (Environmental Engineer) Distributed plants to kids

For DoSomething Day on July 19, people are encouraged to visit their local gardening centre and choose a fruit seed or native seedling to plant at home with their children.

Children will enjoy getting their hands dirty on the day and in years to come will be able to watch their tiny plant grow much taller than them.

Miss Fazila said the planting of a tree was often a child’s first act of volunteering in their community

“When a child plants a tree or a shrub, it doesn’t just help the environment and wildlife but can also have a really positive impact on the child and their community,” Miss Fazila said.

“This DoSomething Day we’re encouraging mums, dads and grandparents to get in the garden and plant a tree with their kids.

Miss Fazila Ishfaq (Environmental Engineer) giving a message to do plantation

“Planting a tree with your child is one of the best things you can ever do with them. Kids love planting and as they grow, so do their tree.”

Planting a tree is often the first act of volunteering for many children in their communities.

DoSomething Day is Pakistan’s biggest celebration of volunteering in our communities, recognizing the extraordinary contributions made by everyday locals.

It seeks to inspire people to make a difference and give back by volunteering, making a donation or carrying out a simple random act of kindness.

So far, more than 200,000 trees have been planted since One Tree Per Child was launched in Pakistan in 2015.

The initiative is now running the tree planting program in nine other countries including England, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Mali, The Netherlands and South Sudan.

“Planting a tree with a child teaches them a wonderful lesson that they can do something positive for the environment,”

Miss Fazila Ishfaq on her mission to plantation

“In years to come, the children who plant a tree will be able to look back and say that is my tree - I really made a difference.

“Society benefits when young children get out, get their hands in the earth, and plant trees. Planting trees and shrubs is a great way for kids to connect to the environment and their community. Every child should do it.”

 “One Tree Per Child strengthens a child’s relationship with nature, place and the environment,” he said.

“That is a relationship that grows as the tree grows.”

Schools and councils are also invited to support the One Tree Per Child campaign.