Health with a difference: Positively impacting our environment

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Deforestation and desertification as well as scarcity of water are some of the main environmental concerns facing Darfur states, including South Darfur where World Vision is operational. According to the Environment tip sheet for 2014 Sudan Humanitarian Work Plan (www.unep.org), North and Central Darfur have lost 70% of their forest cover. The reduction of forest cover in the Darfur states is mainly as a result of human activities.

A team of World Vision Sudan health staff under the auspices of Club- Tameen Al mostagbal (تأمينالمستقبل) has gone the extra mile to invest time and resources to plant trees at the Primary Health Care centres where they work. The staff have committed to go beyond the call of duty and plant a total of 200 trees within a period of two years. By this quarter, the club had managed to reach 50% of the target they set when the club was launched in May 2014.

In Blue Nile state, World Vision staff in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Pan Health Care a national health NGO have planted 70 trees at six Primary Health Care centers. In South Darfur state, the club members have planted 27 trees bringing the total in both states to 97 trees planted in 10 primary health care centers in one year. The species that have been planted include fruit and shade trees such as mango, guava, brazilia, lime, neem, willows (dignabasha), fiscus (figis) and mahogany.

“I believe planting trees is an act of worship and charity,” says Nour Eldin a medical assistant at Manawashi Primary Health Care clinic in Mershing locality of South Darfur state. Manawashi clinic is under World Vision management funded by USAID and World Vision US to provide lifesaving essential health care to communities.

“Ordinarily, this would be beyond my job description, however, working with World Vision, has encouraged me to plant trees at my work station. As health workers, we have so far planted twelve trees at this clinic including lime, neem, dignabasha and figis. Working with my colleagues at the health centre in planting and nurturing the trees has enhanced our social interaction as a team across our diverse roles in the facility. We jointly ensure that the trees thrive. Most importantly, these trees will in future provide shade at the clinic, nutritious fruits, preserve the environment as well as secure our wellbeing as a community,” Eldin adds.

Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed, World Vision health Supervisor in Blue Nile Programme says the planting of trees will contribute significantly to securing the health of Sudanese children in the future. This is in addition to appropriate awareness raising, medical waste management, solid waste management, use of fuel efficient cooking techniques and use of Stabilized Soil Bricks for clinic construction.

World Vision Sudan remains committed to step up the ‘environmental marker’ by integrating environment into humanitarian programming; working with communities to improve outcomes, create multiple benefits but more so to save the future for generations to come.

In 2015, World Vision health staff pledge to plant 103 trees at the various Primary Health Care centres. We shall also encourage communities that we work with including children to plant trees at the household level.