Halima Kedir, 35, from the Berbere district of Ethiopia's Oromia region, was mocked and discouraged by her neighbours when she first began planting trees. Years later, her garden is lush with banana, olive and grevillea trees, and the same neighbours who doubted her are now following her lead. Her story sits within the UN's wider Green Legacy Initiative, a national tree-planting drive aiming for 50 billion trees by 2030. Here's how one woman's persistence helped shift attitudes in her community, and where Ethiopia's broader reforestation effort stands today. Nationally, the campaign has coincided with Ethiopia's deforestation rate falling by nearly two-thirds over the past decade.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!