Attention to our environmental condition often fades in and out. Things like news coverage or public concern may come and go, which sometimes makes it easy to forget that our ecological story is constantly unfolding. Here are some things that are happening right now.

Families are feeling the burden of environmental degradation

When you hear about ongoing issues like deforestation, food insecurity, or climate change, these issues directly impact the daily lives of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

What that looks like at a day-to-day level, is families wondering where their next meal is going to come from, whether or not to put their children in school, or what other drastic cutbacks they might have to make in their lives.

These concerns are things that mothers and fathers in villages around the world right now are having to think through. For most, the outlook towards the future is less than bright.

These dilemmas further worsen the conditions that contribute to all these environmental issues. In places like Haiti, the desperate need for immediate income leads to deforestation through charcoal production.

It’s important for us to remember that our environmental challenge doesn’t only pertain to future catastrophes we want to avoid. It also includes ongoing challenges that affect about 800 million lives.

Moringa Seeds

Community leaders are planting the seeds of change

At the exact same time that people are feeling the burdens of environmental issues, solutions are being developed and implemented.

Proven solutions include tree planting, sustainable agriculture, silvopasture, and spiritually focused community development. When the people who have suffered from environmental issues can be in control of creating change, significant transformation is possible.

From Haiti to Ethiopia to Burundi, leaders are planning and strategizing how to effectively bring these tools to remote villages. Right now, Plant With Purpose’s international directors and environmental technicians are studying and practicing mapping techniques and procedures to roll out change across hundreds of communities. This means that hope is coming.

Already, early adopters are putting in the time to become proficient at these techniques. They are gathering community members and creating farmer field schools. At these gatherings, they will have opportunities to share knowledge in a peer-to-peer setting. Change is starting to take root.

Communities in Tanzania celebrate trees planted

Villages are seeing the results

Right now, a family is enjoying the peace of food security that they haven’t had in years. A child is spotting a bird that hasn’t been seen in his village since his father was his age. A refugee-turned-farmer is realizing that his kids will never endure the traumatic experiences he went through.

These aren’t just far flung hopes. These are present realities.

These are the things that happen when we invest in the right things. Empowerment. Sustainability. Giving communities to create change themselves.

It’s just a small taste of what could be possible if we were to put our full energy into such efforts at a global level.

As our friend in Haiti, Dezo, has said, “It’s not something I’d call easy, but it’s something we see in the places where we are working. We see poor soil become good soil. We see poor people have their lives improve- they go to school, they eat better. It’s possible and we’ve started doing that.”

All these things are happening right now, simultaneously. We can be among those who stand with the vulnerable and affected, helping them plant the seeds of hope. To invest in empowerment for just $22, you can sign up to be a Purpose Partner.