Introduction

Earth Day is honored worldwide on April 22 every year to show support for protecting the environment. More than one billion people in 193 countries commemorate Earth Day by making significant changes in their mundane lives and communities to impact the world around them positively.

We at Hiboy earlier announced the "One Order, One Tree" campaign for our commitment to raising awareness and taking action to keep our environment safe. It has now ended, and as a result, we have donated 2,500 trees. We also express our gratitude to our customers for your support and trust. As you read on, you'll discover how you, too, can play a significant role in this positive initiative and make a change in society. We will share details about the successful campaign and how you can participate through Hiboy, empowering you to make a difference in our collective environmental efforts. 

Betty's Forest Garden Plan: Reshaping Ecology, Improving Lives

Betty Mwihava, a widow with three children in Tanzania's Iringa region, once degraded with poor soil, was a constant source of struggle for her family. However, Betty's story took a turn for the better with the Trees for the Future program's teachings on regenerative agriculture practices, including planting diverse trees, shrubs, and crops to create a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Over the last two years, Betty and her fellow program participants learned how to establish a Forest Garden. Local Trees for the Future staff provided training, resources, and seeds. Farmers plan their Forest Gardens, deciding what they want to grow for food and income.

Betty's Forest Garden Plan has transformed not just her land but also her life. Her once-barren farm is now a thriving oasis with various fruits, vegetables, and nuts. This transformation has brought her a reliable source of income, and her family now has access to nutritious food year-round. Betty's story is a beacon of hope, illustrating the transformative power of Trees for the Future's Forest Garden program on the lives of farmers and their communities.

The Operation of Forest Gardens

Industrial agriculture and mono-crop production are often the best way to provide food for a growing global population. Still, science shows that it is the most common reason for environmental change and contributes to malnutrition. However, let's remember the unsung heroes-smallholder farmers. They are the ones who produce the majority of food materials consumed on the planet today – a staggering 70%. 

Despite the challenges faced by big agriculture companies, urban expansion, and a warming planet, they are still making a difference. One of the ways they are doing this is through Forest Gardens, a solution proving effective in reclaiming biodiversity, improving degraded land, and mitigating climate change. 

Benefits Of Forest Gardens For The Environment And Communities 

Every Forest Garden is unique to the necessities of each community and enables them to thrive in an area formerly barren. Here are some significant benefits:

1. Creates Sustainable conditions

The Forest Garden program teaches farmers how to manage the sun, shade, and water on their land to capture the water when it rains and allow the soil to recharge and become healthier. Each tree or crop planted produces less carbon in the atmosphere and helps fight climate change while promoting a more sustainable lifestyle for communities.

2. Families Don't Have To Depend On One Crop To Survive

The Forest Garden Approach enables farmers to diversify their crops to harvest each year. Farmers can choose from timber, fuelwood, vegetables, nuts, and other crops to grow sustainable food sources and income for their communities. The program trains farmers to optimize their space, time, the sun, and water to maximize their real estate.

3. Promotes Organic Farming Over Chemical Farming

Trees for the Future trains farmers to use techniques that offer high productivity for various crops without expensive commercial additives such as pesticides and fertilizers. Unlike conventional farming, which includes chemical fertilizers, the Forest Garden Approach teaches organic agriculture so families can safely sell and eat foods that haven't been treated with chemicals.

4. Allows People To Support Themselves

The Forest Garden Approach not only provides food security but also empowers communities. The produce grown in each garden supplies each community with food and allows them to sell their organic produce at local markets. With the income from selling their produce, families can buy necessities, like soap and clothing, to provide for their households. From water conservation to pest management, the skills each farmer acquires from the program enable them to pass on their knowledge and prevent future generations from being forced to leave their land. This empowerment is the key to sustainable change.

5. Remarkable Impact On Communities

The Forest Garden Approach has made a remarkable impact on ending hunger and poverty in the communities they work with. Before the Forest Garden Approach was introduced, 83% of families were considered severely food insecure in areas where the conditions were dire. After one year in the program, food insecurity in those areas dropped to 14%. 

Six hundred ninety families have graduated from the four-year program, and 2,921 families are expected to graduate in the next two years. Such a heartening result is a testament to the transformative power of the Forest Garden Approach. Restaurantware has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant 100,000 trees to help support communities in need and to boost beneficial environmental change.

Why Hiboy Chose To Collaborate With Betty Mwihava

Farmers like Betty prove that regenerative agriculture can spur lasting change for farmers, their families, and the planet. Motivated by Betty Mwihava, Hiboy collaborated with Betty's Forest Garden Plan. We have successfully donated 2500 trees to Trees for the Future and planted an equal number, a significant step towards a greener Earth. Two thousand five hundred trees annually absorb 55 tons of CO2, aiding in mitigating climate change. Simultaneously, they release enough oxygen to meet the needs of 625 households, improving air quality.

Our donation will bring lasting change to farmers like Betty Mwihava, who are participating in forest garden initiatives that benefit their families and the planet and ensure Betty and her children have regular access to nutritious meals.

Hiboy's Continued Environmental Responsibility

We find value in forming a partnership with Trees for the Future, a non-profit organization dedicated to global reforestation efforts, to plant trees for every order placed during the Earth Day campaign. By becoming a partner, we support Trees for the Future's work and show our commitment to environmental protection by planting trees. 

Hiboy is dedicated to proving itself more than just a green mobility brand. We will continue to practice corporate green responsibility now and in the future. Our commitment goes beyond our sturdy products.  Hiboy genuinely appreciates every customer's role in this mission and participate in the green revolution, shaping a greener, healthier Earth.