Today, Tuesday the 22nd, the Community Development Team traveled with the Women's Leadership Team to a place covered by lush green vegetation, called the Green Belt Movement (GBM).  The Green Belt Movement is a community-based development and environmental organization focused on community mobilization and empowerment so that members can take action on environmental conservation as well as management.  This organization was started by Professor Wangari Maathai in 1977, and it has transformed into a global ecology project.  GBM's mission is to mobilize community consciousness for self determination, equity, improved livelihood securities and environmental conservation using tree planting as an entry point.

It was truly amazing learning all about Prof. Wangari Maathai's life, and being welcomed by the Green Belt Movement staff to the beautiful garden they have cultivated.  We were then given a tour of the garden and able to plant our very own tree on an open plot of land!  I hope we can return one day and see how much it has grown.  

After the Green Belt Movement, we headed back into town to the New Life Home Trust, an orphanage rescue home for babies 0 to 3 years.  They take in any baby brought to them (mainly from off the street) and nourish them to heath.  Many are adopted, but the children move around to the different affiliated New Life Homes.  It was a great experience getting to play with the babies, but it was definitely saddening realizing these children did not have a home. The New Life Home had many volunteers however, and I was very glad to see they were getting interaction!