The 10 Trees  Project launched on 1st June 2023, sponsored by Project Biome, a regenerative platform for Global Collaboration initiated by Zach Bush, MD. Their vision is “A humanity in which every endeavour directly or indirectly increases healthy soil, water, air, socio-economics and biodiversity of all life.” Project Biome is a collaborative platform for non-profit, for-profit, and governmental organisations to align the multifaceted resources of science, activism, education, and innovation in soil, water, and air systems through aligned human systems.

Zingela Ulwazi was chosen to be the pilot for 10 Trees globally.  Since June of 2023, we distributed over 1,660 trees and plants in Orpen Gate Village in Acornhoek, South Africa, to 153 households. 

At the root of our success is education.  Permaculture is the ideal framework because its holistic focus infuses ethics for living into the way of designing and caring for your garden. All participants attend 5 “core” Permaculture classes in addition to two more specialty classes in Pest Control and Soil Fertility and Medicinal Plants. All of our classes are centred around practical hands-on demonstrations, so that our participants can go back to their homes and implement what they’ve learned.  The classes are filled with singing, dancing, and laughter which improves the brain’s receptivity to learning, and motivates people to want to come to class.

10 Trees is much more than a tree planting project.  At the core of it is women’s empowerment, community development and transforming consciousness in relation to our connection to Nature.  These are the main values that are woven through every aspect of the  10 Trees project.

With the ZU team, 15 graduates of our Permaculture Explorers program took up leadership positions to coordinate and implement 10 Trees. This started with mapping the already existing productive plants in 165 households, followed by community permaculture education classes, and individual decision making about which trees/plants each household wants to plant, to ensure a broad diversity of edible and medicinal plants. The “tree mentors” have been our eyes and ears on the ground, and through their diligent work with their 10 households, we have a much higher than usual tree survival rate!

Here are comments from some of our participants:

“I am always happy and excited about my trees, and I regard them as my friends.”

“When I look at my plants and trees, I am motivated to wake up and work.  I have learned how to heal myself through the herbs given.”

“I have energy to work in my garden.  When I am stressed, I go and view my trees and heal myself by being with myself and nature.”

“10 Trees is holding love.  I have changed a lot as now I am also living in harmony with people, and stress is disappearing through taking care of the trees.”

Our fiscal agent in South Africa is The Angamma Charitable Trust,  founded as a South African Public Benefit Organisation, directly benefiting the local communities whose land and resources we share. Their focus is to build collaborations that will create pathways of hope and opportunity towards a sustainable society that benefits future generations of all cultures. We are grateful for their partnership with Zingela Ulwazi.