MOZAMBIQUE - Reforestation with CAA

I was hired by CAA to create a volunteer program for their employees to support their carbon neutral efforts through their support of the group Envirotrade.

In December 2006, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) selected Barton and Guerrilla Aid to launch their inaugural International Volunteer Vacation Program, by taking CAA employees to Mozambique and South Africa for a reforestation and outreach project.

Our main focus was to help in Nhambita, Mozambique, with a company called "Envirotrade," who had been working with CAA to erase their carbon footprint.

The volunteers were taken on a tour of the entire project, learned about each aspect of the organization, and were then put to work!

Reforestation is central to CAA's carbon neutrality, and the volunteers worked directly in the fields to further that goal.

While in the Gorongosa National Forest, the volunteers spent days clearing the ground using local hand tools, dug holes to place the trees, and hauled in hundreds of trees to the work site - where they were all planted by hand.

They also worked with the local craftsmen to build and assemble all the components of a new well to provide clean drinking water for this entire community. They used hand tooled planks to make a lid to keep out pollutants, hauled in the supplies, built and covered the well, and installed a system to bring water to the surface.

Envirotrade had made massive strides since CAA had became involved, and were able to plant thousands of trees, purchase new tools, firefighting equipment to control wildfires, transport vehicles, and a new tractor. But, of all the improvements made, the fact that over 300 people were now employed in rural Mozambique, was by far one of the greatest accomplishments.