Stories
Discover real-world stories of communities overcoming poverty and deforestation! Plant With Purpose, a Christian non-profit, shares examples of environmental sustainability and stewardship from all around the world. These stories show us how faith, resilience, and sustainable practices transform people’s lives as well as their environment. As rural families overcome poverty and heal the planet, embrace empowerment, renewal, and hope.
Tanzania
Magdalena, Tanzania: "I want to inspire others to believe"
Magdalena stands in front of her shop, greeting customers with a warm smile. The shop, now a thriving retail and wholesale business, is a testament to years of hard work, perseverance, and the power of community support. But it wasn’t always like this. At 50 years old, Magdalena reflects on the life she once lived […]
Read More
Haiti
Nadége, Haiti: "God is always present in my life.”
At seventy years old, Nadége has witnessed a lifetime of changes in her Haitian community. As a farmer, she has seen seasons of plenty and scarcity. She has watched trees disappear from the hillsides and rivers dry up. And for many years, she struggled to trust the people around her. “There are too many unserious […]
Read More
blog, Environmental Restoration, Sustainability
The Role of Tree Planting in Regenerative Farming Practices
In the quest to restore both people and the planet, regenerative farming has emerged as a transformative approach to farming. Tree planting is not only a symbol of environmental renewal but also a foundational pillar of regenerative agriculture. Through tree-based techniques like agroforestry, farmers can heal degraded lands, boost food production, and create climate resilience. […]
Read More
About Our Work
The Role of Agroforestry in Reducing Poverty and Boosting Livelihoods
When Andres first stepped onto his hillside farm in the Dominican Republic, he was facing more than just a struggling crop—he was facing the reality of a life trapped in poverty. His coffee plants, once the backbone of his livelihood, had been devastated by disease. With few alternatives and seven children to feed, his future […]
Read More
Climate Change
Carbon Sequestration Through Regenerative Tree Planting
When Daniel, a pastor and father of six in rural Malawi, stands in the shade of recently planted trees, he sees more than saplings—he sees a future reclaimed. For him and his community in the Lwafwa watershed, the trees are symbols of hope and healing. They represent not only a reversal of environmental destruction but […]
Read More
Thailand
Jati, Thailand: "When you care for the forest, it gives back."
“I used to think I had most of what I needed.” “My family and I had enough to eat,” Jati says. “Sometimes there were worries about how we’d pay for household expenses, especially when we had to borrow money for farming. But it was manageable.” “There was a water source in the mountain, a forest […]
Read More
Living Sustainably, Why I Support
Poverty, Trees, and the Joy of Getting Your Hands Dirty
Kathy Kellogg-Johnson is a longtime supporter of Plant With Purpose and an expert in healthy soil. Her family-owned company, Kellogg Garden Organics, is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year! For an entire century, they have been providing organic soil and products for farmers all across the country. Kathy generously spoke to us about the relationship between people, trees, and healthy soil. Check out her interview below.
Read More
About Our Work
Why Do We Plant Trees?
Farmers who partner with Plant With Purpose have planted 76.6 million trees to date, and are projected to plant another 11 million in fiscal year 2026! But tree planting hasn’t always been our goal. When our CEO Scott Sabin first joined Plant With Purpose as an intern in 1993, he wasn’t particularly interested in planting trees. In fact, tree planting seemed like a distraction from the “real” mission of reducing rural poverty. Today, people new to Plant With Purpose may also wonder: what is the connection between helping people thrive and planting trees? The answer lies in the unique geographies of the watersheds we work in, where trees and livelihoods are inextricably intertwined.
Read More
Ethiopia
Ethiopian Church Forests: An Ancient Key to Biodiversity
In the past 20 years, Ethiopia has been devastated by deforestation. Extensive agriculture, cattle herding, and increased population pressure, reduced forest cover to just 4.2% by 2000. Since then, the species richness of Ethiopia’s forests has been declining, and the remaining forests are fragmented, impoverished, and have only a fraction of the diversity they once had.
Read More
Why
Why Should Churches Care About Trees?
Several years ago, my home church nearly cut down a 60-foot sycamore tree to build a new parking lot. Removing the tree seemed like the obvious choice—more room for families, more space for ministry. But some hesitated. Wasn’t this tree part of our story? Could we build around it instead of removing it? In the end, the church chose to save it, making it a prominent feature of the new campus.
Read More
Photo Essays
How Cacao Trees are Transforming Lives in the Dominican Republic
At the end of March, Plant With Purpose hosted a Vision Trip to the Dominican Republic (DR). I, along with several donors and Plant With Purpose U.S. staff, had the privilege of visiting our partners in the DR and seeing the incredible work they’re doing to transform their communities. Just a few hours into our […]
Read More
Climate Solutions, Tanzania
The Power of a Planted Tree: Changing Lives in Rural Tanzania
What does the power of the planted tree look like? In the lush but ecologically vulnerable hills of Tanzania, smallholder farmers have long lived at the mercy of harsh environmental conditions. Deforestation, soil erosion, and unpredictable rainfall have created a reality where farming, once a stable way of life, can quickly spiral into a struggle […]
Read More
Malawi
Daniel, Malawi: "When people see change, they start to believe again.”
Daniel stands quietly in the Lwafwa watershed, looking over the land that raised him. The soil under his feet is familiar, the paths woven through his village echo years of memories. But lately, he’s noticed some changes that trouble him deeply. “I grew up here,” Daniel says. “And a good number of people around me […]
Read More
Haiti
Stephanie, Haiti: "We do a lot of things together so, we become more powerful.”
For many years, Stephanie lived in quiet fear. She rarely spoke outside of her home, feeling shy and uncertain of her place in the world. Her social interactions were limited to attending church, and even there, she kept to herself. She feared her husband, feared speaking in public, and feared stepping into roles outside of […]
Read More
Mexico
Sara, Mexico: “We are learning to care for the land and each other.”
In the Peñoles watershed of Mexico, Sara’s days used to be filled with quiet uncertainty. At 47 years old, she spent most of her time at home, supporting her husband, who worked as a farmer, and supporting their 24-year-old child. Life in their rural community was shaped by the rhythms of the land—land that was […]
Read More
