My first tree….

Story By: Tendai Mvuvu

My first award for academic achievement was a eucalyptus seedling when I was seven years old. I had scooped the coveted number one position two years in a row and one of my elementary (primary) schoolteachers the late Mr Zirebwa saw it fit that I was awarded accordingly. I remember looking at the small plant, encased in a black thin plastic sheath and wondering if this was a befitting honor for a small child like me.  A pack of crayons maybe, or money for doughnuts, a small trophy? These were thoughts that went through my young mind as I clutched on my prize.  It was drizzly that day, and I remember enduring the splattering showers as my teacher went on and on about my astounding academic prowess.

Later that day, my dad (May his soul rest in peace) helped me plant the seedling in our backyard. I became a steward to a living organism overnight! I was only seven! However, little did I know that this was the genesis of a passion that will later manifest in my adult life. I nurtured the plant, every day; I would run to our backyard to see if it had grown a little bit taller from the previous day. The little plant endured the cold, the heat and the gusty wind. It grew as I grew too, we grew together, a constant reminder that I was a smart little girl. I became actively involved in planting trees for my school. Everyone thought it was cool to plant a tree in their backyard because I had my award growing tall and strong in my backyard.

Fast forward to a few years back, I walked past my old house; the eucalyptus tree had been cut down. My heart sank… but something caught my eye, little green leaves budding from the sides of the trunk, showing signs of life and rebirth. My tree! The perfect academic award that anyone has ever given me. A gift that taught me the art of endurance, a gift that taught me that trees are life, that we can co-exist together, benefiting from each other. But reality is… I (we) stand to benefit more when we care for our trees.

For more information about Tendai visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/tendai-mvuvu-13433611