By Laura Borrelli
Staff Writer
While Trump is attempting to build a wall to keep out immigrants from enter the United States, Africa is in the process of creating a massive wall of trees, also known as the Great Green Wall, to help combat climate change and fix the economic troubles the people in Africa face.
The idea of the Great Green Wall originates back to 1954, when Richard Barker proposed the first idea of a front line of trees to contain the desert. The idea reemerged in 2002 at a Summit in Chad to discuss ways to combat deforestation and droughts in Africa. It is led by the African Union, and the project started in 2007. The wall of approximately 11 million trees will stretch across the entire continent, at the edge of the Sahara desert. It will span through 11 countries, with a size of 8000 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide.
Some specific goals of the project are to prevent the desert from expanding and taking usable land, restore 100 million hectares of farmland, create 350,000 jobs, and trap 250 million tons of carbon by 2030. In order to achieve these goals the project is expected to cost eight million, however The World Bank, UN, African Union, and the UK Botanical gardens have all pledged money to continue planting the trees in an effort to minimize the costs.
As of right now the project is 15 percent complete, and there has been a huge success in the little they have done so far. Senegal is one of the places that has made the most progress. The wall has been able to reach many of the goals they sent out to do and they are only 12 years into the project. The soil in Senegal is not dug up or does not erode due to the trees protecting the soil from the wind. The leaves provide compost, a canopy to increase humidity of the environment, and offers shade so there is less need for watering. There are also certain trees, Acacia Trees that are beginning planted that are drought resistant. The tree roots hold water in the soil, and have helped dry wells fill up again.
These changes have helped communities suffering in poverty and widespread drought and hunger. The wall has generated a whole new economy. Women have begun to grow crops, creating more jobs for women and the produce is cheaper to buy because they can grow it right where they live. The economy is also boosted because people are not constantly migrating. The deforestation forced thousands from their home and people no longer have to search for jobs, because the wall has created new jobs and opportunities for communities.
Communities are doing well in all aspects, especially education. The attendance at local schools near the wall have increased. Parents want their children to become educated and continue more projects like the Great Green Wall to benefit communities all over the world. This has given hope and security for future generations to come.
While countries in Africa are becoming unified, America seems to be divided due to trivial matters. What really matters is that we all need to come together and address issues, like climate change or poverty that are being neglected to talk about because of differing opinions that stop people from taking action to help solve the problem.
It is exciting to see people come together to create something good for the world in order to transform the lives of millions and combat climate change. Now more than ever, everyone needs to work together and make a difference in the world. There is proof that the Great Green Wall is a huge success, and although everyone cannot build a wall, we can all make a difference through our own actions.
