Hurungwe has experienced years of deforestation, tobacco curing, drought, and soil erosion. The land has been strained, and so have the women who depend on it.
Through the UNDP-supported intervention, a restoration pathway covering 50 hectares was initiated. Some areas are already visibly improving through tree planting and improved land management practices. The full ecological impact will be realised once the biogas system becomes fully operational and significantly reduces reliance on firewood.
A community orchard was established. Fruit trees were planted with technical support from the Forestry Commission. Women were trained in seed extraction, woodlot management, and sustainable land practices.
When fencing resources proved insufficient and livestock destroyed many of the first trees, the women adapted. They protected what remained. They converted part of the fenced space into a nutritional garden that now supports household food security.
Restoration here is not symbolic.
It is daily labour.
It is patience.
It is commitment to land that has fed generations.